Congress questions timing, intent of special session on Women’s Reservation Bill

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday intensified its attack on the Centre over the proposed three-day special session of Parliament from April 16 to 18, alleging that the government’s intent behind bringing amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam bill or Women Reservation Bill is questionable and politically motivated.

Addressing the media, Congress General Secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh, outlined a detailed sequence of events, citing correspondence between Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, to argue that the government acted unilaterally in convening the session.

Ramesh said that on March 16, Rijiju wrote to Kharge seeking discussions with the Congress on proposed amendments to the Women’s Reservation law. Kharge responded the same day, urging the government to convene an all-party meeting and present a formal written proposal to enable a collective discussion among all stakeholders.

He further noted that on March 24, opposition parties again wrote to Rijiju, requesting that such a meeting be scheduled after April 29, when the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct would no longer be in force. Despite this, the government went ahead and announced the special session, he alleged.

The Congress leader recalled that the law was passed during a special session in September 2023, shortly after the inauguration of the new Parliament building. While the legislation provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, it links its implementation to the completion of the census and delimitation exercise.

Quoting Kharge’s remarks from September 23, 2023, Ramesh said the Congress had then questioned the delay mechanism built into the law. “Why can’t this be implemented immediately? There is no need to wait for delimitation and census,” Kharge had said at the time.

Ramesh alleged that even after 30 months, the government has not taken concrete steps to operationalise the reservation, reinforcing the Opposition’s earlier charge that the delay was intentional.

He further claimed that while Rijiju’s letters mentioned only the Women’s Reservation law, it has now become evident that the upcoming special session will also take up the issue of delimitation — a subject, he said, that was never discussed with Opposition parties.

“This clearly indicates that within 30 months, the government is planning to bring amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act alongside a constitutional amendment on delimitation. These are serious issues that require wider consultation,” Ramesh said.

Referring to another letter dated March 26, he said Rijiju again sought a meeting with Congress leaders to move forward on a constitutional amendment proposal. However, Kharge reiterated the demand for a comprehensive all-party meeting after April 29.

The Congress leader alleged that despite this exchange, the government had already decided to convene the session earlier and proceeded without building consensus.

He also raised concerns over the timing of the session, stating that it would be held during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct and just ahead of key Assembly elections, including in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

When asked whether Congress supports amendments to the law, Ramesh clarified that the party’s stand remains consistent. He said that in 2023, Kharge had clearly stated that the law should be implemented from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections itself, along with provisions ensuring representation for women from OBC communities.

“The issue is not about supporting or opposing amendments. The issue is about intent, timing, and the government’s reluctance to implement what it has already passed,” Ramesh added.

IANS