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Kharge Seeks All-Party Meet on Women's Reservation Amendment

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has formally requested Law Minister Kiren Rijiju to convene an all-party meeting to discuss proposed amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. The government plans to use 2011 census data for delimitation, bypassing delays for a new census, which could increase Lok Sabha seats to 816. A key amendment would reserve 273 of these seats for women, aiming for implementation by the 2029 general elections. The opposition supports women's reservation but seeks consensus on the details of seat distribution and the delimitation process.

Key Points: Kharge Urges Rijiju for All-Party Meet on Women's Quota

  • Plan to amend 2023 women's reservation law
  • Lok Sabha seats may jump from 543 to 816
  • Delimitation to use 2011 census data
  • 273 seats reserved for women
  • Bill aims for implementation by 2029
2 min read

Kharge urges Rjiju to convene an All-Party meet on Nari Vandan Adhiniyam amendment

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge writes to Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, demanding an all-party consultation on amending the Nari Shakti Vandan Act.

"all Opposition parties reiterate their demand for an All-Party meeting to deliberate on the proposed changes - Mallikarjun Kharge"

New Delhi, March 24

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, urging the Government to convene an All-Party meeting to discuss the proposed amendment to the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.

In his letter, Kharge stated that the Government appears to be planning a further amendment to the Constitution Amendment passed in September 2023. He emphasised that all Opposition parties reiterate their demand for an All-Party meeting to deliberate on the proposed changes.

Kharge suggested that, to make the meeting productive, the Government should circulate a note detailing the exact proposals. He further requested that the meeting be held after the current round of Assembly elections concludes on April 29, 2026.

As per the top sources, the Government has planned two major amendments. 2023's Nari Shakti Vandan Act tied women's reservation to the new census and delimitation. Due to census delays, the plan is to proceed with the 2011 census data. The 2011 census is to be the basis for delimitation and seat redistribution. Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 post-amendment.

A bill will be introduced in Parliament to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Act.

A separate Delimitation Bill will be introduced. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation. The new Lok Sabha is likely to have more than 800 seats. Keeping up with the status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation, and SC/ST reservation will continue. However, states won't have a role; the bill passed by Parliament will apply to them.

Currently, the Lok Sabha has 543 seats. With a proposed 50% increase, the number of seats will rise to 816, with 273 (about a third) reserved for women.

The government's key point is that they won't wait for a new census to give women, comprising half the country's population, fair representation in Parliament. Instead, delimitation will be done using the 2011 census data.

The Home Minister led a crucial meeting with NDA parliamentary floor leaders, discussing the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. Shah has briefed several opposition leaders on the proposed plan. The opposition supports women's reservation, but discussions are ongoing to build consensus on seat distribution and delimitation.

If passed, this bill will be India's biggest democratic shift since independence, giving the country 273 women MPs by 2029. The 2029 general elections will see contests on 816 Lok Sabha seats, changing the majority mark from 272 (for 543 seats) to 409.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Kharge ji is right to ask for an All-Party meeting. Such a massive change needs consensus, not a rushed job. Increasing seats is good, but what about OBC women's quota? The bill seems silent on that. Need more inclusive discussion.
A
Aditya G
816 seats? The logistics and cost will be enormous. While women's reservation is welcome, we must also think about the efficiency of such a large Parliament. Will it lead to better governance or just more politics?
S
Sarah B
As an observer, this is fascinating. India is attempting one of the largest expansions of a legislative body in democratic history. The shift to 409 for a majority is a huge strategic change for all political parties.
M
Meera T
This is a step in the right direction, but I'm concerned. Simply having more women MPs won't solve everything if the political culture and issues they champion don't change. Reservation is a tool, not the ultimate goal.
V
Vikram M
Good that they're planning to use 2011 data. The census delay was becoming an excuse to postpone women's reservation. Now the focus should be on fair delimitation so southern states are not penalized for better population control.
K
Kavya N
Excited but cautious. We

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