Congress President Questions Urgency of Women's Reservation Bill Amendments

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed concerns regarding the government's rapid amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill. In a letter to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, he questioned the urgency of these changes and suggested that a multi-party meeting should be held after the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Kharge highlighted that opposition parties had previously recommended discussions on the bill's implementation post-elections. He emphasized that the proposed amendments should not interfere with the electoral process and reiterated his call for immediate action on the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which aims to reserve 33% of seats for women in legislative bodies.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 26, 2026, 18:28 IST

Congress President's Inquiry on Women's Reservation Bill

On Thursday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reached out to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, questioning the government's haste in amending the Women's Reservation Bill. In his letter, Kharge suggested that a multi-party meeting should be convened after the final phase of voting in the West Bengal Assembly elections on April 29.

Kharge's correspondence was a response to a previous letter from the central minister, who had requested a meeting to discuss proposed amendments for the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023.

He noted that he received Rijiju's letter on March 26, 2026, and mentioned that opposition parties had already suggested a multi-party meeting for discussions on the Nari Shakti Vandan Act's implementation after the elections on March 24, 2026. Kharge expressed confusion over the government's urgency to amend a constitutional amendment act just 30 months after its passage, especially as all parties are currently focused on election campaigning.

He emphasized that holding the meeting post-elections would not impact the implementation of the amended Nari Shakti Vandan Act before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Kharge recalled that during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2023, he had called for the immediate implementation of the Act, a request that the government did not support. He reiterated his request for a multi-party meeting after April 29, 2026.

Recently, opposition parties had also urged Rijiju to organize a multi-party meeting regarding amendments to the Women's Reservation Act after elections in four states and one Union Territory.

To build consensus, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held separate meetings on Monday with leaders from some National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parties and regional opposition parties. The Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023, which provides for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, can only be implemented after the delimitation process. Sources indicate that discussions are ongoing regarding a framework that could increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from the current 543 to 816, with 273 seats reserved for women.