The government will likely introduce a 'schedule' in Parliament on Thursday specifying Lok Sabha seats for each state, maintaining their current percentage shares. This accompanies three bills cleared last week for women's reservation and delimitation based on the 2011 Census. Lok Sabha seats for all states will rise by 50% to a total of 850.
Top government sources said the schedule to be tabled in Parliament will clearly list Lok Sabha seats per state, preserving each state's current percentage share in the total strength. The maximum Lok Sabha seats will rise from 550 to 850, with 815 for states and 35 for Union territories.
For instance, Tamil Nadu's current 39 seats, or 7.2% of the total, would increase to 57 or 58 seats. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has publicly affirmed this approach. It aims to counter opposition criticism, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, over population growth in northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The three bills—Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026; Delimitation Bill, 2026; and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026—were cleared by the Cabinet last week. They enable delimitation based on the 2011 Census, the first since 1971, with one-third seats reserved for women.
The Constitution amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses. The NDA holds 293 seats in Lok Sabha and about 145 in Rajya Sabha. Opposition parties have questioned linking women's reservation to the seat increase and delimitation, though the pro-rata allocation maintains federal balance.
