Vijay Presses Centre on Delimitation, NEET, Drugs

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay raised three significant demands before Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council, held Thursday at a hotel in Kovalam, Chengalpet district. The gathering, hosted by the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government, also included Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Concerns Over Delimitation

Vijay urged the Centre to guarantee that no southern state would see its parliamentary representation reduced once the freeze on Lok Sabha seat allocation, based on the 1971 Census, lapses under the proposed Delimitation Bill, 2026. He argued that population-driven delimitation could unfairly penalize southern states for their success in stabilizing population growth and advancing development, warning it risked shrinking the region’s voice in Parliament.

NEET Reform and Drug Control Push

On medical admissions, Vijay called for an alternative selection mechanism under the state quota, proposing that Class XII marks be used instead of NEET scores. He said the current system disadvantages rural and marginalized students who lack access to coaching resources available in urban centers.

The Tamil Nadu CM also pushed for tighter regulation of online prescription drug sales and stronger interstate coordination to combat narcotics trafficking and substance abuse among young people, framing it as an urgent public health concern.

Vijay additionally touched on the long-running Cauvery water-sharing dispute with Karnataka during the session, though he refrained from making any pointed or decisive remarks on the issue, keeping his comments largely measured.

The zonal council meeting brought together leaders from across South India to discuss shared regional priorities ahead of key national policy decisions.