Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik has asked Odisha's Chief Minister to convene a special assembly session within 48 hours to discuss the delimitation exercise and protect the state's political rights.
Patnaik warned that Odisha could face a decline in its share of parliamentary representation if the proposed Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 is implemented without safeguards.
He argued that the state risks losing nearly 15% of its political representation and could emerge as one of the 'biggest losers' in the exercise.
Patnaik demanded that the government convene a special session to pass a resolution that 'not even 0.001 per cent of the political rights of Odisha will be allowed to be taken away by other states.'
He reiterated BJD's support for women's political representation and its backing of measures to expand women's participation in governance, including implementing 50% reservation for women in local bodies.
