Kolkata, May 15 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday hinted at the possibility of a delimitation exercise in the state, stating that the number of constituencies in the state could increase, requiring the construction of a new assembly building.
Adhikari made the remarks in the assembly after the election of Rathindra Bose as the speaker.
Addressing the House, he said the assembly infrastructure may need major changes in the coming years.
“There is a need for several reforms in the future. State government officials present here today are witnesses to this historic session. If delimitation takes place, the number of assembly seats may increase substantially. In that case, we may need to construct a new assembly building,” he said.
Adhikari’s remarks are being seen as significant with the Centre’s attempt to push for a nationwide delimitation exercise.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats was defeated in the Lower House on April 17.
Adhikari’s remarks have also triggered speculation about whether West Bengal could eventually witness a delimitation exercise similar to the one carried out in Assam in 2023.
Opposition parties in Assam had alleged that the exercise there reduced the significance of minority voters. PTI SCH SOM
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