Concerns Over Delimitation and Seat Loss
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu CM’s are concerned about losing parliamentary seats due to reduced population growth in southern states.
Southern states are ahead in fertility transition, meaning lower population growth compared to northern states.
There’s frustration among politicians and the public that family planning success may reduce southern states’ political representation.
Fertility Reversal Attempts
CM Naidu proposed a law restricting local election candidates to those with more than two children, after repealing a previous law banning candidates with more than two children.
CM Stalin humorously suggested aiming for 16 children in light of reducing Lok Sabha constituencies.
Fertility reversal efforts have not worked globally, with examples like China’s failed one-child policy, which led to various social and demographic challenges.
Population Imbalance and Political Representation
Fertility decline in India is uneven, with regional disparities in population growth, which could skew political representation.
A "one person, one vote" system may be unfair if regions with lower population growth lose out in political representation.
Political representation should account for development factors and not just population numbers, as regions with effective population control should not be disadvantaged.
Impact on Women and Fertility Policy
Encouraging women to have more children is complex, as they face personal and social challenges in raising children.
The state’s social support systems must be improved to make additional children financially and socially feasible for women.
The ultimate solution for population imbalance may lie in adjusting political representation, not reversing fertility trends.
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