‘NCP-SP backs 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats’:Supriya Sule says, ‘Party supports equal expansion across states alongside women’s reservation’

NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule on Saturday said her party was open to supporting the BJP’s proposal to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats by 50% across all states. The proposal is also linked to the implementation of women’s reservation. Sule said the BJP had invited Opposition leaders to a meeting to discuss the proposed Delimitation Bill. During the meeting, the BJP suggested increasing Lok Sabha seats by 50% in every state, irrespective of their population. The expansion would be carried out in the same proportion across the country. However, Sule clarified that the NCP-SP had not taken a formal decision to support the Bill, as it had not yet received an official copy of the proposed legislation. She said the party wanted to discuss the proposal with its INDIA alliance partners before taking a final stand. If all parties reached a consensus, the NCP-SP would be willing to support it. NCP-SP backs passage of both Bills Sule said her party wanted both the Delimitation Bill and the Women’s Reservation Bill to be passed, stressing the need for broad political consensus. Explaining her party’s support for increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats, she said smaller constituencies would make it easier for MPs to connect with voters. This would also help improve the implementation of administrative and development work. Sule cites Baramati to explain need for delimitation Sule cited her Baramati Lok Sabha constituency as an example, saying its electorate had grown significantly over the years. She said the constituency earlier had around 10–12 lakh voters, but the number had now increased to approximately 20–22 lakh. According to Sule, the growing electorate had made it difficult for an MP to reach every village and address the needs of all areas. She also pointed out that the annual allocation of ₹5 crore under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) was insufficient to meet the requirements of such a large constituency. She said dividing constituencies was necessary to make administration more effective and ensure better development.