Amit Shah's Bold Claims on Women's Reservation and Delimitation Sparks Controversy

Amit Shah Addresses Women's Reservation and Delimitation

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused opposition parties of opposing women's reservation in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, as well as the increase of seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). He emphasized that the delimitation process aims to rationalize voter distribution in constituencies, some of which currently have elector counts nearing 40 lakh.

During a Lok Sabha debate regarding three bills aimed at amending the women's quota law and establishing a delimitation commission, Shah criticized the Congress party for previously hindering delimitation efforts while in power.

He stated, "If one listens closely to this discussion, it becomes clear that no one has opposed the constitutional amendment for women's reservation. Everyone has welcomed this initiative. However, members of the INDIA coalition have clearly opposed it."

Shah pointed out that the Constitution mandates periodic delimitation, which includes provisions for increasing SC and ST representation in line with their population growth.

He argued that those against delimitation are also opposing the increase of SC and ST seats, countering the opposition's claims of a hidden agenda behind the government's delimitation proposal.

The Home Minister noted that many members expressed concerns about the timing of the delimitation initiative, referencing the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,' which states that after the census post-2026, women's reservation will be ensured in the subsequent delimitation.

He remarked, "This was not our doing. It was during Indira Gandhi's government in 1971 that the number of seats was frozen. To implement the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,' we must unfreeze these seats, which is why we have introduced this bill."

Shah highlighted that there are 127 constituencies with over 20 lakh voters, which contradicts the principle of 'one person, one vote, one value.' He illustrated the disparity, noting that some areas have 45 lakh voters represented by a single official, while others have only six lakh voters for one representative.

He also dismissed allegations that the constitutional amendment bill for women's reservation was intended to delay caste enumeration during the census, clarifying that a Union Cabinet meeting in 2025 had already decided to conduct caste enumeration alongside the census.

Shah pledged to propose an official amendment to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50% across states if opposition parties support the women's reservation bill.

He warned that the women's reservation amendment bill would fail without opposition support, adding, "The women of this country are observing who stands in their way."

The three bills under discussion include the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill.

It's important to note that a constitutional amendment bill requires a two-thirds majority of those present in the House during voting, and currently, the NDA lacks the necessary numbers to pass the amendment.