India, April 17 -- The government on Thursday attempted to convince the Opposition that the proposal to increase the Lok Sabha's strength and fast-track 33% reservation for women would involve a proportional 50% rise in each state's seats, thereby not hurting southern states apprehensive of an erosion in their relative standing in Parliament.

On the first day of the discussion on a constitution amendment bill and two delimitation bills in the Lower House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told the Opposition that the proportion of each state's seat-share will not be disturbed, Shah even read out a table to show that southern states will not be disadvantaged if the strengt...