Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram criticised the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, calling it ‘grossly unfair’ as it would ‘disenfranchise’ states like Tamil Nadu that have successfully implemented population control measures.
Opposition Raises Concerns Over Delimitation Bill
Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram on Tuesday criticised the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 which will be discussed during the special three-day sitting of the budget session of Parliament and said it is grossly unfair and will “disenfranchise the states which have implemented population control”. The MP said that Tamil Nadu will be one of the most affected states.
The three-day special sitting of Parliament on the constitution amendment bill related to the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls set to begin on Thursday. Sources said the government intends to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850.
“A cursory reading of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, to be introduced in the parliament this week is grossly unfair. It will disenfranchise the states which have implemented population control. Tamil Nadu will be one of the most affected states,” Karti Chidambaram said in a post on X.
Ahead of the three-day special sitting of Parliament, a meeting of opposition parties is slated to be held on Wednesday at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The opposition parties will discuss their stand on the proposed amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and the government’s move on delimitation.
Opposition leaders have said that there are three distinct issues – women’s reservation, national delimitation and increase in seats in Lok Sabha – and these are being “deliberately mixed up” by the government to create confusion in the minds of people.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said earlier that there will be a meeting of leaders of opposition parties ahead of the special sitting of the budget session of Parliament. There is expected to be a separate meeting of opposition floor leaders ahead of the special sitting of Parliament. The meeting at Kharge’s residence is expected to begin at 3 pm.
Government Pushes for Women’s Reservation Implementation
With opposition parties expressing strong reservations to the proposed delimitation bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said he is not going into the politics of which party is saying what.
“No party is opposing the women’s reservation in the Parliament and Assemblies. When we passed this Nari Shakti Adhiniyam in the last Lok Sabha, no political party opposed it. So, in principle and in spirit, every body is together. In Nari Shakti Vandan dhiniyam, every party is together,” he said.
“There may be some statements for political purpose, but the primary objective of providing reservations to women in the Parliament of India and the Assemblies of the states, no political party will oppose it. PM has expressed its gratitude to all political parties for coming together in the national interest. Because women’s reservation cannot be a political issue,” he added.
Rijiju said it will be “extremely painful” if there is delay in women’s reservation process. “We have waited for 40 years, we can’t afford to wait for another year or another decade. It will be extremely painful if we further delay women’s reservation process,” he said.
Ahead of the three-day special sitting of Parliament beginning April 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday again pitched for implementing 33 per cent quota for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, calling it the “sentiment of the nation” and the “desire of Nari Shakti.”
The government has called a special sitting of the budget session of Parliament on April 16,17, 18 for amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, that was passed by Parliament in 2023 and provides for implementing the 33 per cent quota for women in Lok Sabha and assemblies following a census and delimitation based on it.
The government also intends to bring a Delimitation Bill in the special sitting of Parliament and is keen to implement quota for women starting from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. The government intends to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850 as part of its intention to implement the Women’s Reservation Act from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, with 815 seats proposed to the states and the remaining 35 for the Union Territories.
“After four decades of anticipation, Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. This has ensured 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. All parties came forward to support this important law. The rights that women have now received should not face any delay in implementation. It should be implemented now. Lok Sabha elections will be held in 2029, followed by the ongoing state assembly elections. It should be implemented before 2029. This is the sentiment of the nation. This is the desire of Nari Shakti,” PM Modi said at an event in Dehradun.
“Let all political parties come together and advance this work concerning the rights of the country’s sisters and daughters with a unanimous consensus,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)