Is Revanth Reddy's hybrid model for Lok Sabha size a fairer deal for South states?

The Centre’s proposal to increase the size of the Lok Sabha to 850 seats would inflict “political injustice” on the southern states over and above their “continuing financial and policy discrimination”. This is how A. Revanth Reddy, chief minister of Congress-ruled Telangana, has sought to frame the impending move in his open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With the BJP-led Union government pushing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha from the existing 543 to 850, Reddy’s missive to Modi called for a national and political consensus first on “matters with far-reaching implications for the future of our democracy and country”.

A special Parliament session began on April 16 to pass bills paving for the increase of Lok Sabha seats, a fresh delimitation exercise and implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies.

While reiterating the Congress’s support for 33 per cent reservation for women, Reddy said “the real contentious issue” was the proposal to increase the Lok Sabha seats to 850 on a pro-rata basis or based on population. This, he said, would critically disadvantage the southern states given their far lower populations than northern counterparts such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Reddy said the increase in Lok Sabha seats on a pro-rata model was unacceptable to many states and fraught with dangers for the country. “It is very clear that the Centre has not fully and carefully analysed or assessed the consequences of this proposal, especially on the southern states. Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Kerala, over the past several decades, have consciously adopted policies aimed at population stabilisation, improved public health and higher human development outcomes,” read Reddy’s April 14 letter to Modi.

“These efforts were undertaken in alignment with national priorities and have contributed significantly to India’s overall progress. However, under the present proposal, these very states are being structurally disadvantaged and politically unempowered. The consequence of a pro-rata model is not merely a statistical adjustment; it will result in a systemic shift in political power,” stated Reddy, claiming that the southern states were already facing “severe financial injustice, bias and discrimination”.

Reddy’s contention: while Bihar or Uttar Pradesh receive a lot more for each rupee they contribute, Telangana gets far less for what it does. “This is just an example of the South-North divide we are facing for decades. But with this change in Lok Sabha seats, we will be punished with political injustice over and above continued financial and policy discrimination,” argued the chief minister. “This effectively translates into a scenario where progress is penalised and demographic expansion rewarded.”

Reddy has, instead, put forth a hybrid model that, he says, is constructive and allays fears. As per this, half of the increase in Lok Sabha seats could be done on a pro-rata basis and the remaining on the basis of states’ economic contribution (Gross State Domestic Product or GSDP) as well as other performance criteria.

Reddy said the hybrid model seeks to balance representation with contributions, “an ideal solution” following the Supreme Court verdicts in landmarks cases on the issue of reservations versus merit, wherein the split is halfway, “50 per cent quota and 50 per cent merit”.

“A hybrid model would ensure no state is penalised for progress while maintaining the democratic principle of representation, and give all states and regions a fair voice in national governance,” Reddy said, asking Modi to convene an all-party meeting, with representatives from all states and political parties, to deliberate on the issue transparently.

The Telangana chief minister shared his hybrid model idea with South India counterparts—Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Kerala. “We have to unite against this onslaught on political rights and protect our voice in Delhi,” Reddy urged N. Chandrababu Naidu, Pinarayi Vijayan, Siddaramaiah, M.K. Stalin and N. Rangasamy, in open letters sent out on April 14.

Reddy drew attention to how a pro-rata model altered the political power gap between states. “Under such a framework, while all states may see an increase in absolute number of seats, the relative gap between states will widen significantly. For instance, Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha seats while Uttar Pradesh has 80, a gap of 55 seats. Under their (Centre’s) proposed model, Andhra will increase from 25 to around 38 seats whereas Uttar Pradesh will increase to 120 seats. This expands the political gap from 55 to 82 seats, structurally widening the imbalance in representation,” his letter stated.

Similarly, while Tamil Nadu and Puducherry together have 40 Lok Sabha seats, under the Centre’s proposed model, that number could go up to around 60 seats. However, the political gap with Uttar Pradesh would increase from 40 to 60 seats.

The pro-rata method, therefore, effectively means that the voice and influence of a state in Parliament would diminish in relative terms even as its contribution to the nation continues to grow, Reddy cautioned his counterpart chief ministers in the South.

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