No increase in Assembly seats till 2026

The Centre on Wednesday reiterated that it won’t be possible to increase the number of Assembly constituencies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh until 2026 despite the AP Reorganization Act providing for such a provision.

Union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told the Rajya Sabha that it was not feasible to increase the number of Assembly seats in the two Telugu states.

Replying to a question posed by TDP member YS Chowdary,



Hansraj ruled out increasing the number of seats as stated in section 26 of the Reorganisation Act, contending that article 170(3) of the Constitution provides for delimitation of constituencies only after 2026.

Chief ministers of Telangana and AP — K Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu, respectively — have been batting for enhancement of Assembly seats on the basis of the assurance given under section 26 of the Reorganisation Act