Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that the proposed expansion of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats aims to enhance regional representation, particularly for southern states. The combined representation of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala will increase from 129 to 195 seats, maintaining their share of the Lok Sabha at approximately 24 percent. Shah addressed concerns about the impact of population control measures on political influence, asserting that the southern states will not be penalized. He provided specific seat allocations for each state, including Tamil Nadu's increase from 39 to 59 seats and Karnataka's from 28 to 42 seats. Additionally, Shah confirmed the government's decision to conduct a caste census alongside the population enumeration and announced a women's reservation quota that will reserve 272 seats for women, effective from the 2029 general elections. He emphasized that the delimitation process will adhere to existing legal frameworks to ensure fairness and transparency.