Bhubaneswar: BJD President Naveen Patnaik has urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to strongly take up the issue of the proposed Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, also referred to as the Delimitation Bill, 2026.
In his appeal, Patnaik stated that the proposed legislation could weaken Odisha’s political voice and redistribute its representation to other states. He warned that such a move would severely impact the aspirations of around 4.5 crore people of the state and prove unjust for future generations.
The bill proposes to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 members. At present, Odisha has 21 Members of Parliament, accounting for nearly 3.9% of the total strength. Under the proposed changes, the number of MPs from the state may rise to 29, but its overall share would drop to 3.4%.
In a letter to the CM, Patnaik noted that despite Odisha’s efforts in controlling population growth and investing in human capital, the state could face a potential 15% decline in its national political representation.
He, however, welcomed the Women’s Reservation Bill and highlighted the legacy of Biju Patnaik in promoting women’s empowerment. He stated that the Biju Janata Dal has consistently supported greater representation of women in Parliament and state assemblies, and pointed out that Odisha has already implemented 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
On the delimitation issue, Patnaik said the party would support the bill only if Odisha’s political rights remain fully protected. He added that the matter goes beyond numerical representation and directly affects the principle of cooperative federalism enshrined in the Constitution.
“The Bill hits directly at the spirit of Cooperative Federalism enshrined in the Constitution. Any reduction in political rights will undermine the aspirations of Odisha and its people,” the BJD supremo wrote in the letter.
Patnaik further urged Majhi to convene a special session of the Odisha Assembly within 48 hours to pass a resolution ensuring that the state’s political rights are not reduced in any manner. He stated that the Biju Janata Dal would extend full support to the state government on this issue, as it concerns the future of Odisha and its people.
