Former Deputy Chief Minister and veteran politician Bindo M Lanong has said that based on population of Meghalaya the state’s number of MPs should be increased to three.
“In my opinion instead of two the number of MP seats should be increased to three because the population of the state has risen,” he said.
Recently senior advocate VGK Kynta said that 2024 may be the last Lok Sabha election where Meghalaya has two seats. He said that, according to information (as yet unconfirmed) he has seen by the Election Commission of India, Meghalaya could be reduced to just one seat after 2024.
Meghalaya currently has two MPs in the lower house of Parliament, one representing Garo Hills through the Tura seat and one for Khasi-Jaintia Hills through the Shillong seat.
Many have argued that a state with a population of 4 million cannot be further reduced to one MP that will be impossible to cater to the requirements of a population of 40 lakh people.
“We have two MPs based on the population. Now on what grounds will this be further reduced instead of being increased,” he told Highland Post, adding that the question of reducing the seat does not arise.
“If we have an MP from Garo Hills and no MP from Khasi Hills or vice versa then it can’t be possible,” he added.
