CM Vijay asks PM Modi to retain 543 Lok Sabha seats, ensure 33% women quota

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to amend the Constitution and keep the Lok Sabha at 543 seats. The move seeks to shield southern states from post-Census seat losses and secure 33 per cent reservation for women.Tamil Nadu CM Vijay also drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the Assembly’s demand that 33 per cent reservation for women be ensured in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent Assembly polls. (File photo)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to bring in Constitutional amendments to make the strength of the Lok Sabha permanent at 543 members. In his letter, Vijay referred to a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 12, 2026 on the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies.He also drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the Assembly’s demand that 33 per cent reservation for women be ensured in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent Assembly polls. Vijay said the resolution called for the present distribution of Lok Sabha seats among the states to remain unchanged.Quoting the resolution, the Chief Minister said the “total number of members of the House of the People (Lok Sabha) should be made permanent at 543”. He added that the number of Lok Sabha seats allotted to the states should also be kept permanent at the current level.In his letter to Modi, Vijay said, “I enclose a copy of the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. I kindly request you to consider the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and bring in necessary Constitutional amendments in this regard.” The Assembly had deliberated on August 12 that after the Census, the southern states could lose seats if Article 81(2)(a), which deals with the allotment of seats, was applied. It noted that this had happened in 1967, when Tamil Nadu’s number of Lok Sabha seats was reduced from 41 to 39.The resolution said any delimitation based on post-1971 population figures that changes the existing strength would cause lasting injustice to the southern states, which it said had efficiently implemented population control programmes and achieved economic growth, healthcare progress and public welfare outcomes. It also urged the Union government to ensure one-third reservation for women in the next Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly elections that follow. In summary, Vijay has asked the Prime Minister to amend the Constitution to keep the Lok Sabha strength at 543, retain the current state-wise seat allocation, and implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 14, 2026 00:20 IST