Opposition accuses Narendra Modi government of using quotas as cover for redrawing electoral map
Archived version: https://archive.is/newest/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/india-narendra-modi-women-representation-delimitationl
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I figured this would be the type of headline that would show up elsewhere in the world.
Modis party tried to pull off a tactic similar to gerrymandering done by Republicans in the US.
As part of this bill, he sought to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha (parliament) from 543 to 850 based on population data collected in this years census.
Modi and his party are most popular in India’s northern states where population management has largely lagged behind Southern states (where Modi is not seen in as positively).
Essentially they were banking on the majority of the new seats going to North India, disenfranchising the southern states, and consolidating power under the guise increasing representation of women in government.
India was the second country in the world to have an elected female head of state (after Sri Lanka) so there is a strong appetite for this but it’ll have to be done without sneaking in provisions to rig the electoral map. Nice try Modi.
In principle we agree, just not in our department.
