7-Point Resolution: Joint Action Committee's Blueprint to Counter Delimitation

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In a crucial meeting held in Chennai under the leadership of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Joint Action Committee (JAC) has passed a 7-point resolution expressing its deep concern over the issue of delimitation. The committee questioned the lack of transparency and clarity in the upcoming delimitation process and said that there has not been enough consultation with the key stakeholders involved, i.e. the states. The resolution mainly emphasizes on the following seven points:

Need for transparency: The JAC has demanded that any delimitation process carried out by the central government should be completely transparent and involve all political parties, state governments and other stakeholders from all states.

Emphasis on Constitutional Amendment: The Committee outlined the intent behind the 42nd, 84th and 87th Constitutional Amendments, stating that these amendments were aimed at protecting and encouraging states that have effectively implemented population control measures. Therefore, the JAC has sought an amendment to the Constitution to extend the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies based on the 1971 census for another 25 years.

States should not be punished: The proposal clearly states that the states which have successfully implemented population control programmes and whose population share has decreased should not be 'punished' on the basis of delimitation. For this, the central government will have to make necessary constitutional amendments. Parliamentary Strategy: The JAC has announced that a core committee of MPs from representative states will prepare and ensure implementation of a coordinated parliamentary strategy against any adverse delimitation attempt by the Central government.

Joint Representation: The Core Committee MPs will present a joint representation on this important issue to the Prime Minister of India during the current Parliamentary session, detailing their demands.

Assembly Resolution: The representatives of the political parties from different states participating in the meeting will try to bring appropriate resolutions on the issue in their respective state assemblies and send them to the central government.

Public awareness campaign: The JAC has also decided that it will take necessary steps to disseminate information about the history and context of previous delimitation exercises among citizens in their respective states. Along with this, a coordinated referendum strategy will also be adopted on the possible consequences of the proposed delimitation. This 7-point proposal passed under the leadership of DMK reflects the unity and concerns of opposition parties regarding the upcoming delimitation process. Now it remains to be seen how the central government responds to this.