Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh supported party chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s reservations about the Special Session of Parliament on the Women’s Reservation (Amendment) Bill scheduled for April 16. Ramesh criticized the timing as it coincides with ongoing Assembly election campaigns, calling it a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The Congress party has requested an all-party meeting on delimitation post-April 29, after the completion of active campaigning in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
A Special Session has been planned for next week to discuss and pass the Women’s Reservation (Amendment) Bill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to floor leaders of all parties in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, seeking their backing for the unanimous approval of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to enforce women’s reservation before the 2029 elections. Kharge, in response to the PM’s letter, criticized the government for rushing the implementation of the Bill for political gains rather than women’s empowerment.
Kharge highlighted that the Women’s Reservation (Amendment) Bill was unanimously passed by Parliament in September 2023 and emphasized the need for an all-party meeting on delimitation associated with the changes to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023. He expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation with the opposition before convening the special Parliament session. The Congress chief urged the PM to schedule an All-Party meeting after April 29 to discuss the constitutional amendments being considered, post the ongoing elections.
