National Conference member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (April 16, 2026) that the delimitation Bill would impact the constituencies in such a way that “minorities will cease to have political and electoral power.”

He said the gerrymandering of seats done in Jammu and Kashmir through the delimitation exercise would be repeated across the country.

“The Prime Minister misled that we are against the women’s reservation Bill, it was already passed in 2023. We are against the delimitation and gerrymandering to be done through it as we have experienced in Kashmir. Delimitation was done in a way to benefit one political party — the BJP; to affect the balance between the Hindus and Muslims in Jammu, and they were successful...Assembly constituencies were delimited on communal lines...The Bill will ensure that their one vote does not have the same value as those from other communities...We don’t want the country to suffer on communal lines,” Mr. Mehdi said.

He added that the Bill would disturb the balance which would be tilted towards the northern States and power would be concentrated in few States — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharahstra, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

“These six States will collectively have more than 400 seats, and they can take decision for J&K....Our vote should have the same value as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra. We have six votes, including Ladakh. Whatever we do, the proportion is tilted, we cannot do anything. These States can impose things on us. The proportion will further deteriorate; it will impact Bengal, south India and northeast. I am happy that these places will also become like south Kashmir; they would realise the excesses done to us,” Mr. Mehdi said. This led to a sharp retort by Home Minister Amit Shah who objected to the “south Kashmir” analogy.