NEW DELHI, April 18: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on the Opposition on Friday, expressing outrage over the defeat of key legislation related to women's reservations in the Lok Sabha and accusing the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Samajwadi Party of collectively undermining women's empowerment.

Taking to the social media platform X, Mr. Shah said it was shameful that the Opposition parties were celebrating the defeat of a Bill that would have strengthened women's political representation. "This is not the first time Congress and its allies have done this. They have consistently adopted the same stance on critical issues concerning national development and women's empowerment," he said.

The Home Minister asserted that the Congress had no genuine interest in national development, women's rights, or empowerment, and that all the parties that had voted against the Bill had together betrayed Indian women who had been fighting for their rights for decades.

Mr. Shah warned that the Opposition would face a decisive political response from the women of India in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. "The women of this country will give a fitting answer to the parties that opposed the Women's Reservation Bill," he said, adding that no political force could afford to take women's aspirations lightly.

The 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, which sought to fast-track the implementation of the one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Thursday after the ruling National Democratic Alliance failed to secure the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment. Of the 528 members who participated in the division vote, 298 supported the Bill while 230 voted against it, leaving the government 54 votes short of the required 352.

NEW DELHI, April 16: Union Minister of State for Steel Srinivas Varma on Thursday said that the Women's Reservation Constitutional Amendment Bill, taken up for debate in Parliament, had generated enormous anticipation among women across the country. He observed that women in both rural and urban areas were visibly glued to their television sets, eagerly watching the proceedings of the debate as they unfolded in real time.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister emphasised that ensuring adequate representation for women in politics — particularly in decision-making positions — was essential for the holistic development of the nation. He expressed the view that greater participation of women in governance would accelerate positive changes in the social and economic spheres at a much faster pace.

Pointing to the tangible results of reservations extended to women in local bodies across the country, Srinivas Varma argued that a similar transformation was now needed at the level of State Legislatures and Parliament. The impact of women's participation in local governance had already been felt nationwide, he said, and it was time to replicate that success at higher levels of democratic representation.

Expressing confidence that the Women's Reservation Constitutional Amendment Bill would be passed, the Minister described its enactment as a pivotal milestone in the political history of India. The Bill would significantly enhance the political representation of women and further strengthen democracy in the country, he added.

Calling upon all political parties to set aside their differences and extend wholehearted support to the Bill, Srinivas Varma said that collective cooperation was indispensable for legislation that advances women's empowerment. In the larger national interest, all sections of society and political opinion must work together to ensure the Bill's passage, he urged.

Special Parliament session from April 16 to take up Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam amendments; BJP issues three-line whip

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to the floor leaders of both Houses of Parliament on Sunday, calling upon members across party lines to unite in support of amendment bills linked to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, and declared that the women's reservation quota would come into effect from the 2029 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The Central government has extended the ongoing Budget Session by three days, with a special sitting of both Houses scheduled from April 16 to 18 for the purpose.

In his letter, Mr. Modi said the time had come to implement the women's reservation law in its true spirit, and that his government had decided to fast-track the legislation after extensive consultations. He urged all Members of Parliament to participate in what he described as a historic debate beginning April 16. "If the Women's Reservation Act comes into effect from 2029, India's democratic institutions will gain new strength, public trust in them will deepen, and participation and representation in governance will increase," he wrote.

The Prime Minister recalled that reservation for women in legislatures had remained a matter of discussion for several decades, but his government had enacted the law as early as 2023. He described the day of the Bill's passage as an inspiring milestone in India's parliamentary history, witnessed by the entire world. He called upon MPs of all parties to come together in the special session and usher in historic change.

Three-Line Whip Issued

The BJP issued a three-line whip to its members in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Sunday, directing them to be present without fail for the duration of the three-day special session and not to avail any leave during the period. The party asked its MPs to strictly comply with the whip and extend full cooperation in ensuring the passage of the amendment bills.

Two Key Amendments Proposed

The government is learnt to be considering two significant amendments during the special session. The first relates to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which currently stipulates that women's reservations can be implemented only after a fresh census and delimitation exercise — a condition that would have pushed implementation to 2034. The proposed amendment seeks to delink the law from the requirement of a fresh census, enabling reservations to be implemented on the basis of the 2011 census data from the 2029 elections onwards.

The second proposed amendment pertains to the delimitation law. Rather than carving out 33 per cent of existing seats for women — which would reduce the number of seats available to male legislators — the government is understood to be considering an expansion of the total number of seats in Parliament and State Assemblies. Reports indicate that the number of Lok Sabha constituencies could be increased from the present 543 to 816, which would result in 273 seats being reserved for women from 2029. A proportionate increase in seats in State Assemblies is also being considered on the same basis.