Congress Reaffirms Women's Quota Support, Slams Govt's "Opaque" Push

In a post on X, Tharoor said, "I want to repeat that we are firmly committed to Women's Reservation. In fact on my way in and out, I was approached by a delegation of @MahilaCongress colleagues expressing hope that their opportunities would soon be enhanced. I assured them that we stood with them all the way!"

Earlier, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) met at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday evening to deliberate on its stand regarding the proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill. The meeting comes amid renewed political debate over the implementation and structure of the long-pending quota legislation.

Following the meeting, Tharoor shared another detailed post outlining the party's position. He stated that the CWC reaffirmed Congress's long-standing support for 33 per cent reservation for women, recalling that the party had introduced and passed a similar Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2013. However, he also raised concerns over the government's current approach.

"The CWC condemned the government's unilateral and opaque push for amendments without consulting Opposition parties," Tharoor said, adding that the party has flagged concerns over the timing and manner of the proposed changes. He warned that combining the Bill with a delimitation exercise could have serious implications for the democratic balance across states, particularly in the South and Northeast.

He further noted that several Congress leaders at the meeting questioned the government's intent, alleging that earlier delays in implementation were justified on the basis of the Census, while the current push appears politically driven ahead of upcoming elections and the 2029 General Elections.

Tharoor emphasised that while the Congress remains fully committed to one-third reservation for women, the process must be inclusive, transparent, and respectful of federal principles. He cautioned that the amendment should not be used as a political instrument that undermines Parliament's role as a deliberative institution.

The CWC meeting highlighted the party's attempt to balance its support for gender representation with concerns over procedural fairness and constitutional balance, as the debate over Women's Reservation continues to intensify in national politics.

Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet earlier on Wednesday approved a draft amendment Bill to operationalise the Women's Reservation Act ahead of schedule, potentially bringing it into effect for the 2029 General Elections.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to sources familiar with the development. The proposed amendment seeks to modify the existing framework of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, formally known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, which was enacted in 2023.

- IANS