Not a Women’s Bill: Rahul Gandhi Launches Sharp Criticism

The 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, introduced by the Central Government in the Lok Sabha with the objective of speeding up the implementation of women’s reservation and carrying out constituency delimitation based on the 2011 Census, was defeated. The bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority needed for passage and was therefore rejected. A total of 528 members participated in the voting, with 298 votes in favour and 230 against. Since 358 votes were required for the approval of a Constitutional Amendment Bill, the proposal could not pass.

Reacting to the development, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the opposition had foiled what he described as the Modi government’s attempt to alter the Constitution. He criticized the proposal, saying it was not a genuine women’s bill and was against national interests. He demanded the implementation of the 2023 Women’s Reservation Act to ensure 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures. Rahul Gandhi also reiterated that women’s reservation should not be linked to delimitation. The Congress party, along with other opposition parties, stated that they would support a women’s reservation bill if it was introduced independently of the delimitation proposal.