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Kiren Rijiju: Women's Reservation Bill Implementation is a "Process, Not an Issue"

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju urged against politicizing the implementation process of the Women's Reservation Bill, stating the government is working on necessary legal amendments. The Lok Sabha is voting on a constitutional amendment to enact 33% reservation for women in legislatures, alongside a Delimitation Bill that would increase Lok Sabha seats to 850. The opposition has raised concerns that the delimitation based on the 2011 census could reduce the representation of southern states. The bills were introduced after a marathon session, with 251 votes in favor against 185.

Key Points: Rijiju on Women's Reservation Bill: "Don't Make Process an Issue"

  • Bill provides 33% reservation for women
  • Lok Sabha votes on constitutional amendment
  • Delimitation to increase seats to 850
  • Opposition raises concerns over southern states' representation
2 min read

"This is a process... don't make it an issue": Kiren Rijiju on Women's Reservation Bill

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju calls Women's Reservation Bill implementation a procedural process as Lok Sabha votes on key constitutional amendments.

"This is a process. Let's not make the process an issue. - Kiren Rijiju"

New Delhi, April 17

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill is a procedural process and urged that it should not be politicised.

He said the government is currently working on the required legal amendments and that the commencement notification was issued as part of implementing the law.

Speaking to the reporters, Rijiju said, "This is a process. We are currently introducing the law for amendment. The older law wasn't implemented, which is why the commencement notification was issued. This is a process. Let's not make the process an issue."

His remarks comes as Lok Sabha today is set to continue discussion and vote on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them up to 850.

Earlier on Thursday, the Lok Sabha held a marathon 12-hour session to discuss the amendments to the women's reservation bill, which removes the need to implement the bill only after the census is conducted.

As per the final division, there were a total of 251 AYES and 185 NOES out of the total 333 votes. With the 251 AYES majority, all three Bills, including the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, were introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Multiple leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed the bill. Multiple Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leader KC Venugopal, also participated in the discussion.

The Opposition MPs raised concern over the constitutional amendment, to conduct the delimitation and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 850, based on the 2011 census. The opposition alleged that the proposed legislation would shrink the representation of southern states in the House.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Rijiju is right, it's a process. But the opposition's concern about delimitation based on 2011 census is valid. Southern states have controlled population growth better and might be penalized. The process needs to be fair for all regions.
A
Akhilesh Y
The bill itself is good, but bundling it with the delimitation bill that increases seats to 850 is problematic. It feels like a political maneuver. Women's reservation should be a standalone, clear-cut reform.
S
Sarah B
As an observer, it's encouraging to see such a significant bill move forward. 33% reservation is a strong start. Hope it leads to more women from diverse backgrounds entering politics, not just political families.
K
Karthik V
The law wasn't implemented for years. Now that work has started, we should support the process. More women in Parliament will definitely change the kind of issues that get discussed. Bahut der kar di, but better late than never.
M
Michael C
Interesting to see the parliamentary dynamics. A 12-hour session shows its importance. The key will be ensuring the reservation leads to substantive representation and not just tokenism.

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