Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced plans to fast-track the implementation of a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029, aligning with the Opposition's demand for an early implementation of the quota law.
The move comes as Parliament reconvenes for a three-day special sitting on April 16 to discuss the amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which was passed in 2023 but is set to take effect after a delimitation exercise and the ongoing census.
Modi expressed hope that the amendments would be passed unanimously, with lawmakers rising above party politics, and urged all political parties to cooperate in the process.
However, the Opposition has opposed the government's proposal to delink the delimitation process from the ongoing census and carve out new constituencies based on the 2011 census, with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge questioning the timing of the special sitting and the lack of consultation with the Opposition.
