Parliament Debates Key Amendments: Women's Reservation and Delimitation Bills

Parliament is underway with discussions on the Women's Reservation Act and Delimitation Bill. Congress convenes to strategize support, while debates highlight concerns about southern state representation. A three-line whip ensures MP attendance as Lok Sabha moves to pass bills that promise significant changes in political representation and constituency delimitation.

As debates persist in Parliament over the Women's Reservation Act and the Delimitation Bill, top Congress leaders, including Kakoli Ghosh and P Chidambaram, are rallying all INDIA bloc MPs to galvanize support, sources revealed on Friday. The lawmakers convened at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's office to strategize for the House proceedings.

On the docket for the Lok Sabha is the pivotal vote on the Constitutional amendments alongside the Delimitation bill slated for 2026. A stringent three-line whip has been issued by Congress to ensure MP attendance during the special sessions and champion the party's position. These discussions extend into the constitutional amendment, aiming for 33% women's parliamentary reservation.

Thursday's exhaustive 12-hour Lok Sabha session laid the groundwork for these legislative changes, focusing on enabling provisions that bypass census-dependent prerequisites. However, concerns about potential impacts on southern representation surfaced, leading to assurances from Union Minister Amit Shah that these regions will maintain political influence despite seat realignment.

(With inputs from agencies.)