Amit Shah Confirms Caste Census Decision, Counters Opposition Claims

" Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this government has decided to do caste census. Misinformation is being spread that there no mention about caste. Census happens in two phases. First, all the houses are counted and then the people living inside it. Now there has been no caste system for buildings, when there will be one then we will count that too," he said, taking potshots at the opposition members.

He also sought to allay apprehensions of opposition members about the Southern states losing their influence as a result of increase in seats in the Lok Sabha to implement the women's reservation Act and said while there will be about 50 per cent increase in their seats, the relative proportion in total seats will also move up.

Shah, who made his remarks during the debate in Lok Sabha on three bills, including the Constitutional Amendment Bill for early implementation of women's reservation, said he will reply to the debate tomorrow but was clearing some misconceptions.

"The biggest narrative being created is that these three bills, the Constitution Amendment Bill, bill on delimitation, and changes to the constituency election law, will harm the power of the South," he said."If we listen to the entire narrative created for the South, then out of the 543 seats created by you, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is approximately 23.76%. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their power will be 23.97%," he added.

Shah said Karnataka has 28 seats, and 5.15 per cent of the 543 seats in the House and after the passage of the bill, the number of Karnataka MPs will increase from 28 to 42, and the percentage in the Lok Sabha will increase to 5.44.

"Karnataka will not suffer any loss at all. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, which is 4.60 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will increase from 25 to 38. which will be 4.65 per cent," he said.

Shah said Telangana has 17 seats, which is 3.13 per cent and after the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will increase from 17 to 26, which will be 3.18 per cent.

"Tamil Nadu has 49 seats, which is 7.18 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 59, and their percentage in the new House of 816 will be 7.23 per cent. Tamil Nadu will also suffer no loss. Keralam has 20 seats, which is 3.68 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 30, and their percentage in the new House will be 3.67 per cent," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier sought to allay apprehension of opposition parties over the delimitation of constituencies and the "proportionate increase" in the strength of Lok Sabha to implement the Women's Reservation Act from the 2029 polls.

Participating in the debate on the Constitution Amendment Bill for early implementation of the Women's Reservation Act in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi said he can give a guarantee or a promise about his remarks if the opposition wants, as the government's intention is clear.

"I want to say from this House today with a great sense of responsibility that whether it is the South, the North, the East, the West, small states or large states... this decision-making process will not discriminate against or do injustice to anyone. In the past government that was in power, in whose time the delimitation took place, there will be no change in that proportion either, and the increase will also be in the same proportion," he said.

"If you need a guarantee, I give you a guarantee; if you need a promise, I make a promise... because if the intention is clear, there is no need to play games with words," he added.

Lok Sabha on Thursday took up simultaneous discussion on three bills for early implementation of Women's Reservation Act. The government had extended the budget session and called a three-day special sitting of Parliament for the purpose.The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and The Delimitation Bill, 2026 were introduced and taken up for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day.

PM Modi urged the House to pass the bills with consensus."This should not be weighed from a political angle. Those who are carrying half the responsibility of the nation also have the right to be here; we should not stop them," he said.He said ever since the discussion on women's reservation took place in the country, and every time elections have come around thereafter, whoever has opposed this right being given, "women have not forgiven them".

"In the 2024 elections, this did not happen, and it did not happen because everyone passed it unanimously then, so the issue itself did not remain," he said.

"Those who opposed giving this right to women have not been forgiven by the women of this country. They have faced the consequences. If we all move forward together, this decision will not go in favour of any one political party, but in favour of the country's democracy," he added.

PM Modi said if there is unanimous support for the bills, it won't go in favour of any party.

"It will go in favour of the country's democracy, in favourof the country's collective decision-making power, and we all will be deserving of that glory. Neither the Treasury Bench will be deserving of it, nor will Modi be deserving of it. Therefore, anyone who smells politics in this should take a look at their own outcomes from the past 30 years. Their benefit lies in this. They will be saved from whatever damage is happening. Therefore, there is no need to give it a political colour," he said.

PM Modi said anyone who wants to move forward in political life will have to accept that over the past 25 years, lakhs of women have emerged as grassroots leaders."The leadership that has developed at the grassroots level among women must be recognised and taken into account. Therefore, those who oppose this today will have to pay the price for a long time," he said.

- ANI