Supriya Sule says NCP (SP) will back Delimitation Bill only if Lok Sabha seats rise equally across all states

Supriya Sule denies reports of INDIA bloc backing Delimitation Bill (Pic/Special arrangement)

Nationalist Congress Party [NCP (Sharad Pawar)] MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday dismissed speculation that her party had decided to support the Centre's proposed Delimitation Bill and said that the party would consider backing the exercise only if the number of Lok Sabha seats were increased by 50 per cent uniformly across all states, rather than redistributing seats solely based on population. She also dismissed reports claiming that the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had agreed to support the bill.

Need scrutiny

Sule said the proposed delimitation was based on population, a formula opposed by several parties, as it would have disproportionately affected southern states. She said her party had made several suggestions during the debate and also during a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "We requested the Union Home Minister convene an all-party meeting instead of holding separate discussions with individual parties," Sule said.

50 per cent for all states

Sule further said that if Maharashtra's current 48 Lok Sabha seats are increased by 50 per cent, the total should become 72 seats. She said the same formula should be applied uniformly across the country. A delimitation exercise based solely on population, she argued, would unfairly benefit some states while reducing the representation of others. "There is no equality in such a formula," Sule said.

‘NCP not joining NDA'

Sule also dismissed reports that the NCP (SP) was planning to join or support the NDA, calling such speculation "false and baseless." She also clarified that senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil's late-night meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday was a pre-scheduled appointment to discuss development works and other issues related to his constituency and had nothing to do with any political realignment or merger.

‘This is a national issue'

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said there is no question of the INDIA alliance supporting the Delimitation Bill in its present form. He said the alliance may consider backing it if the suggestions made by Opposition parties are incorporated. "This is a national issue, and the INDIA alliance leaders will meet in Delhi to take a collective decision on whether to support the bill," Raut said.

Delimitation Bill, 2026, aims to:

• Increase the Lok Sabha strength from 543 to 850 seats
• Operationalise one-third reservation for women
• Redraw constituency boundaries