Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], March 5 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Wednesday reiterated the party's demand for a caste census, emphasizing that both the general census and caste-based enumeration should be conducted at the earliest.

'BJD and our leader Naveen Patnaik have always been advocating for a caste census as well, apart from the census. The census should have taken place by 2021. Post-COVID, it was decided that it would be done later. But we are hoping by this year, the starting, it should have started. But the census itself has not started. Based on the census, delimitation is supposed to happen. So, the terms of reference of delimitation need to be identified - whether it will be based on population on other demographic factors. Unless that is determined, it becomes very difficult to ascertain..,' he said.

He further highlighted concerns over delimitation, saying, 'I understand that there are serious concerns by parties from southern parts of India, that due to better or probably more controlled population growth, they have a fear that their seats might go down. But I would say the census has to be completed. Caste census should be done, along with census.'

Meanwhile, earlier today, in Tamil Nadu, the all-party meeting presided over by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin passed a resolution requesting PM Modi to give assurance in the parliament that if delimitation is done, it should be based on the 1971 population census from 2026 to the next 30 years.

The 64 parties were called for today's all-party meeting on Constituency Delimitation, in which 58 parties (including organisations) participated.

As per the resolution, 'This all-party meeting unanimously strongly opposes Delimitation based on population, which is seen as a big threat to India's federal structure and Tamil Nadu and other Southern States representation.'

It also stated, 'This all-party meeting requests the Union Government to make the required changes in the constitution if at all present MP numbers are made to increase in Parliament, that should be done similar to the 1971 census percentage to all southern states in both houses.'

'Tamil Nadu is not against delimitation. However, this all-party meeting request delimitation shouldn't become the punishment to the state, which implemented various social welfare schemes in the past 50 years,' the resolution noted. (ANI)