AMARAVATI, April 16: Andhra Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party State president P.V.N. Madhav on Thursday expressed jubilation over the introduction of the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill — encompassing both the Women's Reservation and Delimitation provisions — in Parliament, describing it as a historic milestone in India's democratic journey and a decisive step towards women's empowerment.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhav noted that the issue of women's reservation had been under discussion in the country's political discourse for nearly 30 years since 1996, and that despite successive governments coming to power, a firm decision to give effect to the Bill had remained elusive for decades.

He praised the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking a landmark step forward through the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam to ensure political representation for women. The introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill, he said, was a crucial decision aimed at further strengthening the role of women in the nation's governance.

Madhav explained that the Central government had introduced these amendments with the aim of ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies by the time of the 2029 General Elections, while simultaneously accelerating the delimitation process. Based on the 2011 Census data, the quota is to be implemented with 33 per cent reservations applicable to SC and ST communities as well, with the total number of Lok Sabha seats set to be expanded to as many as 850, he added.

The Bill would open the door for adequate representation of women not only in Parliament but also in State Legislatures, Madhav observed. He emphasised that this was not merely a political decision but a significant milestone in the pursuit of social justice.

Expressing optimism about the transformative potential of greater women's participation, Madhav said that increased representation of women would accelerate the nation's development and strengthen women's leadership from the grassroots to the national level.

The BJP State president concluded by saying that the decision marked the beginning of a new chapter in women's empowerment in the history of Indian democracy.

Amaravati, April 14: The Andhra Pradesh BC Employees Federation has urged the Central government to provide a special sub-quota for Backward Classes women within the Women's Reservation Bill, warning that social justice would remain incomplete without adequate representation for the state's most marginalised communities.

State president Polaki Srinivasarao, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that while the provision of 33 per cent reservation for women was a welcome development, it was imperative to ensure that BC women received a defined share within that allocation. The absence of any explicit guarantee for BC women in the current framework, he cautioned, would render the bill's empowerment objectives only partially fulfilled.

Mr. Srinivasarao pointed out that Backward Classes constitute a significant proportion of the country's population, and their continued exclusion from meaningful political representation would impede their socio-economic advancement. He drew particular attention to the challenges faced by BC women in rural areas, arguing that political representation offered them the most effective platform for addressing structural inequities.

Drawing a parallel with existing provisions for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women under the bill, the Federation president argued that extending a comparable sub-quota to BC women was essential to achieving genuine equality. Such a measure, he said, would not merely serve political ends but contribute substantively to broader social equilibrium.

The Federation called upon the Central government to respond without delay, introduce appropriate amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill, and initiate a nationwide consultative process that takes into account the views of all sections of society before the legislation is finalised.