Congress to push for women reservation within existing Lok Sabha seats

The upcoming special sitting of Parliament, from April 16 to 18, is set to delink the implementation of women’s reservation from the census.

The Congress will try to push for 33% women’s reservation within the existing 543 seats in the Lok Sabha and push the government to delay the proposed delimitation exercise for a more equitable distribution of seats, rather than a 50% proportional increase in every state’s parliamentary strength, leaders aware of the details said on Monday.

The Congress will push for 33% women’s reservation within the existing 543 seats in the Lok Sabha (PTI)

The upcoming special sitting of Parliament, from April 16 to 18, is set to delink the implementation of women’s reservation from the census.

“The Opposition has its task cut out for the upcoming session,” said a senior Congress leader. “It has to oppose the delimitation bill but offer full support for the amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. It also has to formulate a common strategy and ensure its members are present in large numbers to oppose the delimitation bill during voting in both Houses.”

Referring to an article written by Sonia Gandhi on the issue, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Sonia Gandhi asserts that the real issue why the Modi government is calling a special session of Parliament is not women’s reservation but delimitation and delaying and derailing caste census.”

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi posted on X that, “Any delimitation involving an increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha must be politically, and not just arithmetically equitable.”

A senior Congress strategist involved in the planning said, “We will seek roll out of women reservation within the current strength of the Lok Sabha. And, as Kharge said in 2023, we will also push for inclusion of OBCs within the women’s quota.”

The rejig of the Lok Sabha seats and its contours will also require a Constitution amendment bill, which requires two-third majority in both Houses of Parliament and support from a majority of states. The Opposition hopes to use that opportunity to stall any plan to increase seats in state assemblies and the Lok Sabha by 50%.

“The amendment to the women reservation act is not the issue. The real issue is the delimitation bill. The government is trying to bring it through the backdoors, in the garb of the women reservation bill,” said Congress leader Supriya Shrinate.