The Centre has refused to increase the assembly seats of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Wednesday. It cleared that it is not going to increase the number of seats in the two states before 2026.
The Statement came as a written reply to a question by Telugu Desam member T G Venkatesh by the minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir who said it is not going to raise the number of seats till 2026.
As per Article 170, fresh delimitation is prohibited till 2016: Ahir
Ahir said it is not possible to increase the number of Assembly seats in TS and AP citing Section 26 of AP Reorganisation Act until an amendment to Article 170 (3) of the constitution is in place.
The assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies were last delimitated in 2009 and as per the article 170, fresh delimitation is prohibited till 2016. But, chief ministers of both states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana N. Chandrababu Naidu and K. Chandrasekhar respectively have been publically saying that the Central government has assured them to raise seats as per Section 26 of AP Reorganization Act.
Centre has promised to make amendment, claimed both CMs
On the other hand, both ministers have claimed that the Centre has promised to make an amendment to AP Reorganisation Act by putting words like “notwithstanding anything contained in Article 170 (3) of Constitution, delimitation shall take place for both the states”
However, Ahir directly refused the chances of the amendment in the near future. The declaration disappoints Chief Ministers of both states as they have already promised their party members that everybody will be accommodated in the next assembly polls as Assembly seats are going to increase.
