Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, attributed the defeat of the Amendment Bill concerning women’s reservation in Lok Sabha to the unity of the Opposition INDIA bloc. Gandhi criticized the Amendment Bill, stating that it utilized an unconstitutional tactic under the guise of women’s empowerment. He commended the intervention of INDIA in halting the Bill’s progress, emphasizing the importance of upholding the Constitution.
Earlier, during the debate on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and two related Bills, Rahul Gandhi’s reference to the Prime Minister as a ‘magician’ sparked controversy in the Lower House. The remark led to uproar, with Treasury bench members expressing outrage and labeling it a disrespectful act towards the Parliament and the nation’s populace. Gandhi further highlighted a perceived identity crisis within the Bharatiya Janata Party, urging them to desist from using the armed forces as a shield.
Opposing the proposed delimitation, Rahul Gandhi drew attention to the decisions of his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who refrained from pursuing such exercises during their tenures due to potential risks. Despite securing 298 votes in favor and 230 against after a heated two-day debate, the Bill failed to meet the two-thirds majority threshold essential for constitutional amendments.
The ambitious Bill aimed to expand the Lok Sabha’s strength from 543 to 850 seats, coupled with the implementation of a 33% quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. This reform, long overdue, was intricately linked to the pending delimitation process, crucial for adjusting electoral boundaries based on demographic shifts. The Union government underscored the necessity of seat redistribution to rectify the growing disparity between voters and representatives, a gap accentuated by outdated boundaries established during the 1971 Census.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah vigorously advocated for the Bill, emphasizing the vigilance of women across the nation towards the Opposition’s stance. Home Minister Shah accused the Congress of obstructing delimitation historically, alleging that the party was impeding citizens from receiving equitable representation. He stressed the importance of integrating women’s reservation with delimitation to ensure fairness in representation.
