PM seeks support for women legislative quota by 2029; Kharge reacts

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has reiterated his demand for an all-party meeting on the delimitation issue linked to the implementation of the women’s reservation law, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The exchange comes ahead of a special sitting of Parliament scheduled from April 16 to deliberate on amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The proposed amendment seeks to delink the implementation of the law from the 2027 Census and instead base it on the 2011 Census, enabling its rollout before the 2029 general elections.
In his letter, the Prime Minister urged all political parties to support the legislation, calling it a “historic opportunity” to strengthen democracy and enhance women’s participation in governance. He highlighted the unanimous passage of the law in 2023 as a moment of collective resolve and appealed for broad-based support to implement it in time for upcoming elections.Responding to the outreach, Kharge expressed concern over the lack of clarity on the proposed delimitation process. He stated that seeking opposition support without sharing key details “reinforces apprehensions” that the government is rushing the implementation for “political mileage” rather than genuine empowerment.
Kharge noted that despite claims of consultations, opposition parties have consistently demanded a comprehensive all-party discussion after the conclusion of ongoing state elections on April 29. He argued that without transparency on delimitation and related constitutional changes, meaningful deliberation on the legislation would not be possible.

Congress president and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge writes to PM Narendra Modi, "I have just received your letter on the special session of Parliament for a discussion on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam from the 16th of April...This special sitting has been called without… pic.twitter.com/SqkvavZmPs

— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2026

The Congress leader also questioned the timing of the special session amid ongoing elections in several states, suggesting it undermines the spirit of consensus-building. He stressed that any constitutional amendments affecting both the Centre and states must involve wider consultation to uphold democratic principles.The development comes as the government prepares to introduce legislation aimed at operationalising women’s reservation and potentially increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha, making the upcoming parliamentary session a key moment in shaping India’s electoral framework.