Clash Over Women's Reservation Bill: Political Storm in Lok Sabha

In a session marked by intense debate on Thursday, Congress leader KC Venugopal has urged the government to retract the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill, aiming to implement women's reservation in the 2029 general elections, was described by Venugopal as a guise for pushing delimitation.

Venugopal criticized the government for allegedly using the reservation bill to undermine state autonomy for political ends and called for an all-party meeting to reach a consensus. He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi omitted discussing delimitation in his address, although the issue remains crucial.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded by asserting that the government recognizes the Congress's role in women's reservations in Panchayats, cautioning against misleading narratives. The government continued its push for passing significant bills, emphasizing democratic cooperation over political rivalry in the unfolding legislative session.