Centre linked delimitation to women's quota Bill to delay implementation: Sule

NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule on Monday slammed the Centre for ''lacking political will'', and demanded the immediate implementation of the women's reservation Bill passed in 2023 with the current strength of Parliament. Addressing a press conference here, Sule alleged that the government had used procedural hurdles such as the census and delimitation to delay the implementation of the legislation. A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats was defeated on April 17 in the Lower House. While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority. ''The Bill was passed in 2023, and we are now in 2026. Why has the 33 per cent reservation for women not been implemented yet? It should have been done immediately,'' the Opposition party MP said, urging the Centre to enforce the quota in the 543-member Lok Sabha without further delay. The required constitutional amendments have already been made in the legislation, she noted, questioning the need for delay in implementation. Sule further alleged that the Centre had failed to allocate funds for a caste census despite demands and assurances. ''If the government had agreed to a caste census, why has it not been initiated on time? There seems to be no political will,'' she said. She further criticised the recent special session of Parliament, questioning its use. ''If the Opposition protests for a day, we are accused of wasting public money. But what did the government achieve by convening a three-day session? What was the outcome?'' she asked. Taking a swipe at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sule said she had expected a more informed stance from him on the issue. She alleged that leaders across the ruling alliance were speaking in ''one voice'' based on a central briefing. Sule reiterated that her party supports women's reservation and challenged Fadnavis to a public debate on the issue. ''We have never opposed women's reservation. Implement it immediately. I am ready to debate this anytime, anywhere,'' she said. She further noted that Maharashtra was among the first states to introduce reservation for women during the tenure of former chief minister Sharad Pawar, and even BJP leaders welcomed the move at the time. Meanwhile, Congress MP Praniti Shinde, in a separate press conference, criticised the Centre, alleging that it had linked the Bill to delimitation to delay its rollout. She claimed that the legislation, while presented as a measure for women's empowerment, is effectively tied to future delimitation exercises, raising concerns over its immediate applicability. ''If the government is serious, it should implement 33 per cent reservation within the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats,'' she said, alleging that the move is politically driven and aimed at projecting the opposition as anti-women ahead of elections. Shinde also expressed apprehension that delimitation without updated census data could lead to regional imbalances and termed the approach ''divisive''. Echoing similar concerns, Congress MP Shobha Bachchav, who was present at the press conference, said the Bill should be enforced immediately, reserving about 181 seats for women in the current House. She claimed that the Bill was introduced despite lacking the required numbers, calling it a political exercise amid ongoing and upcoming elections.