Delimitation of Assembly seats in AP and Telangana not yet, says Centre

Vijayawada: The Centre on Tuesday put to rest all speculations regarding delimitation of Assembly seats in AP and TS, saying that there will be no such exercise till 2026.

Union minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, reponding to a question posed by MPs M. Murali Mohan and K. Prabhakar Reddy, told the Lok Sabha that the government would have bring an amendment to Article 170(3) if it was to take up the delimitation exercise and this was not possible. He said that any further delimitation in AP and TS would be based on Census 2026.

The MPs had reminded the Centre that increasing the number of Assembly seats in AP and TS was promised under Section 26 (1) of the AP Reorganisation Act.

Mr Ahir said that the Centre took the opinion of the Attorney General who said that as per Article 170 (3) of the Constitution, the total number of seats in the Assembly of each state shall not be readjusted till after the first Census is published post 2026.