Politics – Congress Demands Immediate Rollout of Women’s Quota Law
Politics – The Congress party on Sunday called for the swift implementation of the law passed in 2023 that provides a 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, based on its current strength.
Debate Over Implementation Conditions
At a press briefing, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate clarified that the recent development in the Lok Sabha should not be seen as a rejection of the women’s reservation legislation. Instead, she argued, it was the issue of delimitation that faced resistance on April 17. According to her, the government has linked the implementation of women’s quota to a future delimitation exercise, which has effectively delayed its rollout.
Shrinate emphasized that the legislation had already received unanimous approval in Parliament in September 2023 and is now part of the Constitution. She questioned why the government was attaching additional conditions to a law that had already been agreed upon by all parties.
Call to Remove Delimitation Clause
The Congress leader urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the delimitation requirement tied to the reservation policy. She stated that if the government is genuinely committed to increasing women’s participation in politics, it should enforce the quota within the existing 543-member Lok Sabha.
According to Shrinate, the condition of delimitation is being used as a reason to postpone implementation. She alleged that this approach benefits current male lawmakers, as it avoids reducing their representation in Parliament.
Criticism of Government’s Position
Shrinate also criticized the Prime Minister’s recent remarks addressing the issue. She accused the government of presenting the situation in a misleading way, suggesting that the delay is not due to a lack of political will but rather the conditions imposed by the ruling party itself.
She argued that portraying the situation as a setback for women’s reservation does not reflect the reality, as the law itself has already been passed. The real concern, she said, lies in the timeline and conditions of its execution.
Broader Concerns on Women’s Safety and Representation
During the press conference, Shrinate expanded her criticism to include broader issues related to women’s safety and justice in the country. She referred to incidents such as violence during the Manipur unrest, as well as cases reported in Hathras and Unnao. She also mentioned concerns raised by women athletes and the controversy surrounding the release and public reception of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.
According to her, these incidents highlight a gap between political promises and ground realities when it comes to women’s rights and dignity.
Representation Figures Highlight Gap
Shrinate pointed to current data to underline the urgency of the issue. Out of 240 Members of Parliament, only 31 are women, accounting for roughly 12 percent. Similarly, among 1,654 legislators across the country, just 164 are women, which is below 10 percent representation.
She said these numbers demonstrate the need for structural changes to ensure better participation of women in governance. Without immediate action, she warned, progress on gender equality in politics would remain slow.
Renewed Push for Immediate Action
The Congress reiterated its demand that the government act without delay and implement the reservation law in its current form. The party maintained that removing procedural hurdles would send a strong signal about the country’s commitment to empowering women in public life.