New Delhi: These days, the Women’s Reservation Act is being discussed in the country, from Parliament to political circles. The reason behind this discussion is its upcoming amendment. The Women’s Reservation Act was passed in 2023 as the 106th Amendment to the Constitution. At that time, it was decided that this bill would be implemented after the completion of the new census. However, the government is now proposing that delimitation be based on the 2011 census data.
This bill, which would provide one-third reservation for women in the country’s Parliament and all state assemblies, could be introduced as early as April. However, opposition parties have insisted on an all-party meeting before introducing the bill. They have also demanded that this meeting be held after the Bengal elections. However, the government has already made preparations to introduce the bill before the elections.
The central government is planning to introduce an amendment bill to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816, of which 273 (approximately one-third) will be reserved for women. The government is also preparing to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Act to establish a quota for women. The Nari Shakti Vandan Act was passed by the central government in 2023.
While all political parties share a similar stance on women’s reservation, questions have been raised: why did the government convene a special session of Parliament to pass the bill if it will take years to be implemented? SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav stated on the CAPF Amendment Bill that the government is using its numerical strength to do everything wrong, and that the public is suffering the consequences. Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, have accused the government of seeking credit by introducing the bill before the elections.
Jairam has expressed his objection and demanded an all-party meeting after the elections, i.e., after April 29th. He also stated that introducing the Women’s Reservation Bill before then would violate the Model Code of Conduct. The opposition alleges that introducing the bill at this time, in the context of election-bound states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, is an attempt to gain political advantage.
The government has also rejected the opposition’s suggestion to convene an all-party meeting. This makes it clear that the government is fully prepared to pass the bill into law as soon as possible. Assembly elections are scheduled for this month in Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. The election results for all these states will be announced on May 4th.
Assembly elections are scheduled for the next few days in states like Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala. The government is preparing to amend this bill before these elections, attempting to increase its support base among women voters. Political experts believe that the government will present such schemes to women as a package, which could have an impact on them. The opposition is opposing the bill, insisting that it be introduced only after the elections.
