Jammu, 24 April (H.S.): Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore today accused opposition parties, particularly Congress, of obstructing efforts to fast-track the implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament, saying delays linked to census and delimitation processes could prevent its implementation before the 2029 general election.
Addressing a press conference here, Rathore said the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had demonstrated “clear intent and political will” by passing the Women’s Reservation Bill in 2023, but acknowledged that its implementation remained tied to the completion of a national census and subsequent delimitation exercise.
“The bill that was passed in 2023 had an operative text. Its implementation was linked to census and delimitation. It cannot be executed on its own,” he said.
The Minister said three measures introduced on 16th April 2026 – the Constitution (131st Amendment), the Delimitation Bill 2026 and the Union Territories Law Amendment Bill 2026 – were intended to enable implementation in time for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. “If we wait for the census, it can take 1.5 to 2.5 years. After that, delimitation can take another one to three years. That means it could reach the 2029 elections,” he said.
Responding to opposition, particularly the Congress party, questioning the need for fresh amendments, arguing that the law had already been passed. Rathore rejected that position. “To say it has already been passed and nothing more is required is a delusion. The earlier bill clearly deferred implementation to future processes,” he said.
He also addressed concerns raised by some parties about the potential impact of delimitation on representation in southern states, saying seat expansion would prevent any reduction. “The percentage is clearly increasing. Seats will increase proportionally in every state. There is no loss at all,” he said, adding that representation could see “marginal gains”.
On demands for including quotas for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Rathore said the issue could be debated in Parliament but should not delay implementation. “There was already provision for SC/ST women in the 2023 law. Parliament is open for discussion on OBCs, but getting stuck on this is just a reason to stall,” he said.
The Minister said women’s reservation had been debated for decades, noting that similar proposals were introduced in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2008 but were not passed. “There was a lot of discussion. The difference is clear: who discusses it and who has the power to implement it,” he said.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
