NEW DELHI – K. Kavitha, founder of the Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS), has proposed a major restructuring of the Indian parliamentary system. To maintain federal balance during the upcoming delimitation exercise, she has suggested adopting a model similar to the US Senate for the Rajya Sabha.
Preserving Federal Balance
As India debates redrawing Lok Sabha constituencies based strictly on population, concerns have arisen regarding the potential loss of political influence for smaller or less populous states. Kavitha’s proposal aims to address this by:
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Equal State Representation: Moving away from population-based seats in the Upper House to a fixed number of members per state, ensuring every state has equal voting power regardless of size.
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Strengthening the Upper House: Granting the Rajya Sabha powers comparable to the US Senate to act as a robust safeguard for regional interests.
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Fixed Benchmarks: Redrawing Lok Sabha seats using a strict population benchmark (e.g., 7 lakh or 10 lakh citizens per constituency) to ensure administrative consistency.
Context of the Proposal
The recommendation follows the recent defeat of a bill aimed at providing 33% reservation for women, which would have increased Lok Sabha seats to over 800. Kavitha argued that while the Lower House should reflect population realities, the Upper House must be reformed to prevent highly populated states from disproportionately dominating the national legislative agenda.
Focus on Regional Interests
Kavitha clarified that her party remains committed to its regional roots, with 95% of its agenda dedicated to the priorities of Telangana. She plans to formally submit these recommendations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, advocating for a system that protects the rights of all states within the Indian union.
