Imphal: The North East India Citizens Forum, Delhi is pushing Northeast chief ministers to unite against the looming 2026 Delimitation Bill. The group wants states to hold special assembly sessions to pass resolutions for better representation in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. They fear the upcoming mapping will strip the region of its political voice for decades.
Representation needs more than just a head count. The forum argues that national security, vast tribal populations, and difficult terrain matter more than simple population counts. They want a minimum of five to seven Lok Sabha seats and two to three Rajya Sabha seats for every Northeast state except Assam. For Assam, the group demands a jump from 14 to 21 Lok Sabha seats and a boost from seven to 11 in the upper house.
The region currently sends 25 members to the Lok Sabha. The forum notes that a 50 percent increase would only bring that total to about 38 members, a fraction of the 120 seats expected for Uttar Pradesh. The forum stated, "The Northeast's combined strength would rise to only around 37-38 members, while Uttar Pradesh alone could have around 120 members under the proposed formula."
They refuse to see this as a handout. Leaders want a fair framework that acknowledges their strategic position on the international border. The forum is not asking for delimitation to occur before the National Register of Citizens or the census. Instead, they want political leaders to abandon party lines and protect the region's democratic interests before the bill proceeds.
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