Congress Leader Defends Opposition Stance on Women's Reservation Bill

In a recent address, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge defended the opposition's position on women's reservation bills, asserting that the INDIA bloc is not anti-women. He criticized the NDA government's attempts to pass delimitation laws with a simple majority, claiming it threatens the constitutional framework. Kharge's comments came after the government's failure to secure the necessary majority for a constitutional amendment related to women's reservation. This article delves into the implications of these legislative maneuvers and the ongoing debate surrounding women's rights in India.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 18, 2026, 12:57 IST

Opposition Leader Addresses Women's Rights in Parliament

On Saturday, Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and president of the Congress party, emphasized that members of the INDIA bloc are not anti-women. He expressed concerns that the ruling NDA government aims to gain power to pass or amend any delimitation laws with a simple majority in the House. Kharge pointed out that Congress MPs are opposing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and the delimitation bill due to the provisions related to delimitation.

Speaking to the media from the Parliament premises, Kharge stated, "We are not against women, and we have been advocating for one-third reservation for women for a long time." He mentioned that they unanimously supported the 2023 amendment and ensured its passage. However, he criticized the government for introducing another amendment under the guise of this, which combines the women's reservation and delimitation bills by adding delimitation provisions.

He further accused the BJP of attempting to alter the constitutional framework and consolidate executive power. Kharge asserted that by bringing these three bills together, the government seeks to secure power to pass and amend any delimitation law with a simple majority in the House. He added, "This should be done within the 543 members. After the next census or caste census is completed, you can implement it in the next elections... Your intention is to change the structure of the Constitution and seize executive power."

These remarks followed the BJP-led government's failure to secure the necessary two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha to pass the constitutional amendment bill related to women's reservation through delimitation. In a lengthy debate, 298 members supported the bill while 230 opposed it, leading to its defeat. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill did not pass due to falling short of the constitutional majority. The government had introduced three interrelated bills, including the delimitation bill and the Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill, but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later stated that no further consideration would be given to the remaining bills.