Congress Supports Women's Reservation Bill Amid Criticism of Political Motives
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president, has voiced support for the Women's Reservation Bill while criticizing the government's political motivations behind its introduction. As the special parliamentary session approaches, he emphasizes the need for an all-party meeting to discuss the bill's implications. The Nari Shakti Vandan Act aims to link women's reservation to the new census and delimitation, with potential changes to Lok Sabha seats. The upcoming session will address amendments to this act and the delimitation bill, which could significantly impact women's representation in politics. Prime Minister Modi has also highlighted the importance of this legislation as a historic step for women's empowerment.
| Apr 13, 2026, 14:52 IST
Congress Stance on Women's Reservation
On Monday, Mallikarjun Kharge, the national president of Congress, expressed his party's support for the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha. However, he criticized the government for advancing it for political reasons. Ahead of the three-day special parliamentary session starting on April 16 to discuss amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, Kharge emphasized that further actions would be determined in an all-party meeting scheduled for April 15.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge stated, 'We are not against the Nari Shakti Bill. I received a letter from Kiren Rijiju, but they are pursuing this for political reasons. They claim this bill is being introduced for political motives. We have called for an all-party meeting on the 15th to discuss this and decide on the next steps. We had proposed this during our tenure; we are not opposed to it.' The Nari Shakti Vandan Act links women's reservation to the new census and delimitation. Due to delays in the census, the central government intends to use the 2011 census data for delimitation and implement one-third reservation for women legislators.
A special session of Parliament will be held from April 16 to consider the amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023, and the delimitation bill aimed at implementing one-third reservation for women legislators. Following these amendments, the number of Lok Sabha seats could increase from 543 to 816. Both bills must be passed as constitutional amendments to establish women's reservation. Notably, there are no provisions for OBC reservation in these bills, and there will be no changes to the existing SC/ST reservations.
Earlier on Monday, a national-level 'Nari Shakti Vandan Conference' was held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi to support the proposed amendments for implementing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the gathering, describing the proposed women's reservation law as a historic step dedicated to 'Nari Shakti.'