NEICFD urges Northeast Chief Ministers to unite on delimitation and seek constitutional safeguards for stronger Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha representation.
New Delhi, Sept 3: The North East India Citizens Forum, Delhi (NEICFD) has urged the Chief Ministers of all eight Northeastern states to adopt a common position on the proposed Delimitation Bill, 2026, warning that the forthcoming exercise could have long-term implications for the region’s political representation.
In a press statement, the forum called for Special Sessions of the Legislative Assemblies of all Northeastern states to deliberate on the proposed delimitation exercise and adopt unanimous resolutions seeking constitutional safeguards for enhanced and equitable representation in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The NEICFD argued that parliamentary representation in the Northeast should not be determined solely by population. It called for factors including the region’s international borders, difficult terrain, strategic importance, tribal and indigenous communities, cultural and linguistic diversity, developmental disparities and existing constitutional protections to be considered.
The forum has proposed that every Northeastern state except Assam be guaranteed between five and seven Lok Sabha seats, irrespective of population. It has also sought a minimum of two to three Rajya Sabha seats for each of these states.
For Assam, the NEICFD has proposed increasing Lok Sabha representation from the existing 14 seats to 21 and Rajya Sabha representation from seven to 11 seats.
Forum warns of widening representation gap
The forum expressed concern that a substantial expansion of the Lok Sabha could alter the political balance between regions. It claimed that the Northeast currently has a combined strength of 25 Lok Sabha members and estimated that even a roughly 50 per cent increase across the eight states would raise the region’s representation only to around 37-38 members.
By comparison, the statement projected that Uttar Pradesh could have 120 Lok Sabha members under the proposed formula.
The NEICFD maintained that delimitation should therefore incorporate broader criteria beyond population, including national security, geographical conditions, tribal and indigenous representation, ethnic and cultural diversity, administrative convenience, developmental disparities, cooperative federalism and balanced regional representation.
The forum also pointed to the previous Special Session of Parliament in April 2026, claiming that the proposed constitutional amendment relating to delimitation did not receive the required support, partly because several southern states and political parties had expressed concern that population-based delimitation could reduce their relative representation.
It warned that the political position could change if the government proposes an enlarged Lok Sabha and substantial increases in representation for states, potentially creating the numbers required for the constitutional amendment to advance.
NEICFD seeks action before Bill is reintroduced
The forum stressed that Northeastern political leaders should establish a common position before the delimitation process reaches its final stage.
It clarified that it is not advocating delimitation before the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or the Census, in view of concerns expressed by some Northeastern states over those processes.
Instead, the forum stated that its immediate concern is that the Delimitation Bill could eventually be passed with or without the NRC and Census, while the Northeast’s demand for enhanced parliamentary representation remains unaddressed.
The NEICFD appealed to Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, Members of Parliament and MLAs from all eight Northeastern states to set aside party considerations and work towards a common constitutional position.
Describing the forthcoming delimitation exercise as a potentially defining moment for the region, the forum argued that decisions taken now could shape Northeast India’s parliamentary voice for decades.
It maintained that stronger representation would benefit not only the Northeast but also, in its view, India’s federal balance, national security, democratic representation and national integration.
