Congress Criticizes Modi Government’s Shift on Women’s Reservation, Demands Accountability

The Congress party has raised concerns over the Narendra Modi government’s recent shift in stance regarding the implementation of women’s reservation in the Parliament. Party leader Jairam Ramesh articulated the opposition’s position on Friday, asserting that Prime Minister Modi owes an apology to the women of India for what they perceive as a significant policy reversal.

This criticism comes just a day after Prime Minister Modi expressed support for the proposed amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act, which he claimed align with the aspirations of Indian women. Modi urged Parliamentarians from all political factions to back this legislative move, aiming to increase women’s representation in governance.

In 2023, the Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which mandates a 33% reservation for women in both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. However, the implementation of this reservation has been made contingent on the completion of the delimitation process, which involves redrawing electoral constituency boundaries based on the 2027 Census. This stipulation raises concerns that the women’s quota might not be enacted until as late as 2034, as the delimitation process may not be finalized before the upcoming 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

The Union Cabinet has recently approved a draft amendment bill to increase the total number of Lok Sabha seats from the existing 543 to 816, with an allocation of 273 seats specifically reserved for women. This move is seen as a step forward, but the Congress party remains skeptical about the timeline for actual implementation.

Additionally, a special three-day session of Parliament is scheduled to take place from April 16 to 18, where the proposed amendment bill will be discussed in detail. Ramesh’s remarks reflect a deep-seated frustration within the Congress about the perceived delay in realizing women’s representation in the political sphere, a commitment that has been long-awaited by many advocates for gender equality in India.

Source: scroll.in