WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL CONTROVERSY
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 19: The State Congress on Sunday sharpened its attack on the NDA government, linking the Parliament deadlock over the Women’s Reservation Bill to what it described as a calculated push for delimitation ahead of elections.
Congress leader Manuel Badwar said the bill, in its present form, is being used as a vehicle to advance delimitation, accusing the Centre of engaging in “high-pitched political theatrics” led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Making the party’s stand clear, he said Congress cannot support the bill as long as it is tied to delimitation, warning that such a move risks undermining constitutional safeguards.
Badwar pointed to the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution of India, which ensured that states that successfully controlled population growth are not penalised with reduced representation. He noted that the amendment froze the readjustment of seats until 2000, a freeze later extended to 2026.
He stressed that with the Census yet to be conducted, any move towards delimitation would be premature and contrary to established constitutional principles.
Despite this, he alleged that the BJP is pushing ahead, using the Women’s Reservation Bill to shape a political narrative and position itself for electoral gains.
