Give the South its due: CM D K Shivakumar tells Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Mangalore Today News Network

Mahabalipuram, Aug 20, 2026: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday urged the Centre to ensure fair funding for southern states and called for a freeze on the existing number of Lok Sabha seats, saying the South’s economic contribution must be matched by adequate political representation.

Addressing the 31st Southern Zonal Council (SZC) meeting in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Shivakumar said the five southern states account for nearly 33% of India’s GDP despite having only about 20% of the country’s population.

Referring to the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies, Shivakumar said the issue was a common concern for all southern states. While welcoming the Centre’s assurance that no southern state would lose seats, he stressed that representation was not merely about numbers but also about influence and voice.

He argued that southern states should not be penalised for successfully controlling population growth and maintained that the 1971 Census should remain the basis for delimitation. He also sought early implementation of women’s reservation in legislatures without linking it to a future population census.

Shivakumar urged the Southern Zonal Council to pass a resolution freezing the number of Lok Sabha seats and providing women’s reservation within the existing strength of the House.

The Chief Minister also highlighted Karnataka’s concerns over tax devolution. He said the state’s share in the divisible tax pool dropped from 4.7% to 3.6% under the 15th Finance Commission, resulting in a loss of nearly Rs 65,000 crore over six years. Though the 16th Finance Commission increased Karnataka’s share to 4.131%, he said it should be fully restored to 4.7%.

Noting that Karnataka is the country’s second-largest contributor to GST and Income Tax revenues, Shivakumar said high-performing states should be rewarded rather than penalised. He also sought central approval for key projects, including the Bengaluru–Mumbai high-speed rail corridor, the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR), an AIIMS in Raichur and a special development package for Kalyana Karnataka.

Pointing out that Karnataka accounts for 5.5% of India’s population but contributes around 9% of the national GDP, Shivakumar said the state has the highest per-capita GSDP in the country.

“All we ask in return is fairness. When Karnataka is strong, the South is stronger. And when the South is strong, India is stronger,” he said.