NEW DELHI, April 2: The Budget Session of Parliament is scheduled to reconvene on April 16, likely for three days, to consider key legislation, including bills to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816, enabling the implementation of the women’s reservation law, the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.
The government is expected to introduce the bills in the Lok Sabha first and has reportedly engaged in back-channel discussions with opposition parties to facilitate their passage.
The move is seen as a priority for the government, which aims to fulfil its commitment to women’s political representation.
The proposals have sparked significant political debate.
Opposition leaders, including Congress’s Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge, accused the government of rushing the bills to gain electoral advantage ahead of state elections in Puducherry, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
Ramesh urged that all-party consultations take place after April 29, citing the Model Code of Conduct, while Kharge reiterated that Congress supports women’s reservation but expressed concerns over the timing and procedural approach, noting the bills’ long-term implications.
Other parties, such as AAP, NCP, and RJD, raised questions about whether the reservation would extend to Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils and whether seats reserved for women would also reflect representation for SC, ST, and OBC communities.
Defending the government’s position, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed that implementing women’s reservation is a binding commitment to the nation and urged the opposition not to politicize the issue.
Leader of the House J P Nadda also emphasised that determining the legislative schedule falls under the government’s prerogative.
The session, expected to last three days, will focus on passing the bills efficiently. After the sitting concludes, Parliament will adjourn sine die until the Monsoon Session.
The government seeks to balance legislative priorities with political sensitivities around women’s reservation and delimitation, while the opposition remains wary of the potential electoral implications of the proposed amendments, setting the stage for a contentious few days in Parliament. (PTI)
