New Delhi, April 17 -- Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Friday cautioned that the proposed delimitation exercise could turn out to be "political demonetisation" and lead to a "tyranny of demographic majority," warning that it may upset the federal balance and marginalise smaller states.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a debate on bills linked to women's reservation and the setting up of a delimitation commission, Tharoor also criticised the government for tying women's representation to the process, saying it is effectively "holding aspirations of Indian women hostage."

Tharoor said that delimitation raises three major considerations: the balance between small and large states, states that have "diligently implemented national goals...