Women's quota: PM Modi seeks consensus, assures no seat cut for south

PM Modi seeks consensus for an amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in a special Parliament session, assuring no Lok Sabha seat reduction for southern states. Congress has opposed the session's timing, citing Model Code of Conduct violations.

Noting that the law to provide 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies was enacted during the rule of NDA-government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday referred to the scheduled Parliament sitting on April 16,17,18 to pass amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act and said Congress people have been called for a meeting and hoped they "will listen" to the government.

PM Assures Southern States, Seeks Consensus

Addressing a rally in the poll-bound state, PM Modi also sought to allay any apprehension about reduction of seats in the southern states due to their good performance on the population yardstick and said "no seats will be reduced" and these will increase,which will benefit states across the country. He said the aim is to ensure 33% women's representation in Parliament from 2029.

"It is our government that has provided 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies... Parliament is going to reconvene in three days. The law we have passed, which gives 33 per cent reservation to women, should start benefiting from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. There is a need to enact a law to ensure 33 per cent participation of women in Parliament," he said.

PM Modi appealed for passing the amendment to the women's reservation bill by consensus. "Just as Parliament passed the women's reservation bill by consensus, similarly, two tasks need to be done from April 16-18. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, or other states that have done good work in population control--we want to firmly ensure in the law in Parliament this time that nowhere should the Lok Sabha seats be reduced... and second, the seats for women should increase as additional seats," he said.

"So that our southern states get this huge benefit, we are calling a session for law amendment. We have called the Congress people for a meeting, we hope they will listen to us... It is necessary that this amendment passes by consensus," he added.

Congress Opposes Session, Cites MCC Violation

Congress had said on Friday that sitting of Parliament to be held on April 16, 17 and 18 was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and alleged that its purpose was to influence the outcome of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, scheduled to be held later this month.

The Congress also cautioned against any haste in amending the Constitution regarding the delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies, saying it is a sensitive matter and can put several states at a significant disadvantage.

'Arbitrary and Unilateral' Decision

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who addressed a press conference, referred to correspondence between party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and said the party had demanded that an all-party meeting should be convened after conclusion of assembly polls on April 29 for bill to amend women's reservation Act.

The Congress general secretary said, despite such clarity from the opposition, the government "arbitrarily and unilaterally went ahead" with the decision of convening the special session on April 16, 17 and 18, when electioneering in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal would be at its peak.

He pointed out that women's reservation bill had been passed in 2023 and Kharge had then demanded that it must be implemented from the 2029 general elections. He said the government "has now woken up after nearly 30 months" and proposed to implement the women reservation from the 2029 General Elections.

Parliament Session Details

Lok Sabha has 543 seats and with a proposed 50% increase, the number of seats will rise to 816, with 273 (about a third) reserved for women. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned on April 2 till April 16. The budget session of Parliament commenced on January 28 and had an inter-session break. (ANI)

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