Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Parliament to pass amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act so that the 2029 Lok Sabha and state assembly elections are held with a one‑third quota for women in place. In a letter dated April 11 to the floor leaders of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha ahead of a special three‑day sitting, Modi said “the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country” and called on members to join “in one voice” to approve the changes.
The special sitting, extending the Budget Session, has been scheduled for April 16 to 18 to discuss and seek passage of the amendments that would bring the reservation into effect for the 2029 polls. The government argues the law must be altered so the 33% reservation — created by the 2023 constitutional amendment — can be enforced ahead of the earlier timetable tied to delimitation.
Under the current framework, the women’s quota would take effect only after a delimitation exercise based on the 2027 Census, a timeline that makes enforceability unlikely before 2034. The proposed amendments would increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, of which 273 would be reserved for women, enabling the quota to apply from 2029 if approved.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded that meaningful talks on the law are not possible without details of delimitation and related matters. In a letter to the prime minister, Kharge called it “impossible” to hold useful discussions now and suggested an all‑party meeting after the present round of state polls concludes on April 29. He also accused the government of hurrying the amendment for “political mileage” and urged consultation if the aim is to “strengthen our democracy” and keep “moving forward together, taking everyone along.”
Kharge’s note was sent in reply to Modi’s invitation for a parliamentary debate starting April 16. The government says the special session is necessary to finalise legal changes required to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam for the next general and state elections. (PTI)
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/national/womens-quota-by-2029-pm-calls-for-unity-congress-flags-delimitation-hurdle-1610569
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Publish Date: 2026-04-12 12:07:00
