Andhra May Lose 5 LS Seats After Delimitation: Purandeswari

BJP MP from Rajamahendravaram D Purandeswari on Tuesday said Andhra Pradesh could lose five Lok Sabha seats if delimitation is undertaken purely based on population after the 2026-27 Census, following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in Parliament last week.

Speaking to reporters here, Purandeswari said the state would have benefited under the formula proposed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and claimed the amendment Bill with the delimitation package was a tribute to Dr B. R. Ambedkar.

She also sought an apology from Opposition parties for defeating the Bill and said their position would be exposed before the public.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on April 16. It proposed raising the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 850 seats, enabling delimitation based on the 2011 Census, and operationalising 33 per cent women’s reservation under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.

The Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17 after failing to secure the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment. Of the 528 members present and voting, 298 voted in favour while 230 voted against it. The Delimitation Bill, 2026, introduced alongside it, was later withdrawn by the Centre.

At present, Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha seats. Purandeswari said that under the proposed 850-member House based on the 2011 Census, the state would have gained seats in absolute terms, in line with Amit Shah’s assurance that no state would lose representation.

However, she said that if delimitation is carried out after the 2026-27 Census using only population figures and without safeguards, Andhra Pradesh is projected to lose around five seats because of its slower population growth compared to several northern states.