"33% reservation has to be implemented immediately": Congress' Salman Khurshid on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

New Delhi [India], April 15 : Congress leader and former Minister of External Affairs of India, Salman Khurshid, on Wednesday pushed for the immediate implementation of the 33 per cent quota for women in legislatures, stating that the policy should not face further delays.

Khurshid, while speaking to ANI, said, "The proposal for reservation for women...the 33% reservation has to be implemented immediately, and we believe that it should be implemented..."

On the other hand, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse, while speaking to ANI, emphasised that for the past decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked to empower women, giving them leadership opportunities across sectors.

"In the next three days, the Nari Shakti Bandhan Bill will be passed, granting 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. This is a major step in India's development. For the past decade, the Prime Minister has worked to empower women, giving them leadership opportunities across sectors... The opposition is objecting, mainly over delimitation. They argue it is politically motivated. Kharge has said they support women's reservation but oppose linking it with delimitation. Opposition often resists progressive reforms," Khadse said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the Women's Reservation Bill as a landmark and far-reaching initiative that will significantly strengthen women's empowerment in the country. She said the legislation is poised to open new avenues for women and elevate their role in governance in the years ahead.

Speaking during her visit to Tirupati, the Chief Minister said the entire nation is looking at the Bill with hope and expectation.

"It will ensure meaningful participation of women in the mainstream of decision-making," she said, adding that it represents a decisive step towards inclusive governance.

Gupta further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, women's empowerment has gained renewed momentum in the country. She pointed out that several policies and programmes centred on 'Nari Shakti' have been implemented to make women self-reliant, empowered and capable of making decisions.

The Women's Reservation Bill, she added, is a reflection of this forward-looking vision and will further strengthen women's participation in India's democratic framework.

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which provides for 33 per cent reservation for women legislators, is linked to the delimitation process in the Lok Sabha.

The government is planning to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.

According to sources, the government has proposed to increase the number of seats in the House to 850, with 815 seats proposed for the States and the remaining 35 for the Union Territories. The Lok Sabha has 543 seats at present.

The Centre has called a special sitting of Parliament from April 16 to 18.

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