Until there is a census, there should be no discussion on women’s reservation: Akhilesh Yadav

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday opposed any move to operationalise the Women’s Reservation Bill without a fresh population census, asserting that the absence of updated data would render the entire exercise flawed and unjust.

In a post on social media platform X, Yadav questioned the very basis of the proposed reservation, arguing that accurate enumeration is essential for fair representation. “If the counting itself is wrong, how can the reservation be correct?” he said, adding that any genuine intent to implement policy must be free of ambiguity.

He further contended that the Women’s Reservation Bill rests on a mathematical framework, where one-third of total seats are to be reserved for women, and such calculations cannot be based on outdated or uncertain figures. “Mathematics depends on numbers, not vague assumptions. The foundation of numbers is population, which in turn is based on a census,” Yadav said.

Highlighting that the last Census was conducted in 2011, the SP chief argued that using such data to determine women’s share in representation would weaken the very foundation of the policy. “If outdated 2011 data is used as the basis for the women’s population, then the foundation of women’s reservation itself becomes flawed. When the foundation is weak, how can a true and fair outcome emerge?” he asked.

Yadav maintained that his party’s primary objection is procedural and rooted in ensuring fairness. He demanded that a fresh Census be conducted before any discussion or implementation of women’s reservation takes place. “A government that does not want to count women properly cannot be expected to provide them a fair reservation,” he said, accusing the BJP and its allies of attempting to “deceive” women through premature policy moves.

“In conclusion, our message to the government is clear — no census, no discussion on women’s reservation,” he asserted.

The remarks come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a three-day special sitting of Parliament later this month to fast-track steps for operationalising 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, with the aim of implementing it from the 2029 general elections.

IANS