Centre’s Data Counters Southern States’ Argument on Population & Seat Allocation!

The debate over population-based allocation of Lok Sabha seats has intensified, with the Union government’s data contradicting claims made by southern states. Leaders from southern states have argued that they effectively implemented population control policies encouraged by the Centre, resulting in lower population growth, and therefore seats should continue to be allocated based on the 1971 population ratio. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ annual report suggests that the decline in Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is not limited to the south but is also evident across several northern states.

According to the 2024–25 report, India’s average TFR stood at 2.0 in 2020, with 12 states recording rates below the national average. Among them, three states reported a TFR of 1.4, while six states recorded 1.5, indicating widespread adoption of family planning measures. Only a few large states such as Bihar (3.0), Uttar Pradesh (2.7), Madhya Pradesh (2.6), Rajasthan and Jharkhand (2.4), Chhattisgarh (2.2), and Assam (2.1) remain above the replacement level. Gujarat and Haryana stand at the national average, while the remaining states have lower fertility rates, reflecting a broader national trend of declining population growth.