Kohima: The North East India Citizens Forum, Delhi, wants a united front. They are pressuring the chief ministers of all eight Northeastern states to act now. The goal is to lock in political safeguards before the government finalizes the new delimitation map. The forum insists that parliamentary representation cannot rely only on raw population counts. They want the Centre to factor in international borders, tribal identities, and cultural diversity.
Each state should call a special legislative session, the forum says. They want these assemblies to pass unanimous resolutions demanding more seats in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The proposal calls for five to seven Lok Sabha seats and two to three Rajya Sabha seats for every state in the region, excluding Assam. For Assam, the group demands 21 Lok Sabha seats and 11 Rajya Sabha seats.
The stakes are high. The forum calls this a "historic and defining moment" that may not happen again for half a century. They worry that current plans to boost total Lok Sabha numbers by 50 percent will leave the Northeast behind. If the government wins a two-thirds majority to pass the bill, the region faces permanent political marginalization. The group noted that states like Uttar Pradesh could end up with 120 seats, dwarfing the combined 37 or 38 seats expected for the entire Northeast.
The forum is not asking for special favors. They frame this as a push for a fair constitutional framework that respects geography and national security. They warned that the Delimitation Bill, 2026, could move forward regardless of the status of the National Register of Citizens or the Census. Legislators must set aside party lines to secure these interests. Failing to act now leaves the region with a whisper in Parliament when it needs a shout.
Comments