Women's Quota Debate: Intentions Exposed as Amendment Bill Stalls

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy criticizes BJP after the failure of the Constitution 131st Amendment Bill, which sought constituency revisions based on the 2011 census. The Bill, which aimed to increase Lok Sabha seats under the guise of women's reservation, was defeated, highlighting opposition against its implications.

In a scathing critique of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy declared that the government's intentions suffered a blow with the defeat of the Constitution 131st Amendment Bill. The Bill, expected to revise constituencies following the 2011 census, did not pass, revealing opposition consensus on its implications.

Chief Minister Reddy emphasized that the proposal was not just a setback for the BJP but a defeat of their specific intentions. He argued that the three introduced bills varied only superficially, with a concealed agenda to increase parliamentary seats under the guise of promoting women's reservation. Reddy pointed out that the Women's Reservation Act of 2023 required mere minor amendments for implementation.

Following the Bill's failure to secure the necessary majority in Lok Sabha, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju linked it to other legislative measures. He lamented the lack of opposition support for a Bill designed to empower women, highlighting opposition resistance. Reddy, however, challenged the Centre to present a fresh women's quota Bill on April 20, promising united opposition backing, while affirming that women's reservation could be enacted through minor legislative amendments, without the need for further delimitation.

(With inputs from agencies.)