Delhi, India
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticised the government after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, raising concerns over what he described as an attempt to alter the structure of the Constitution under the guise of women’s reservation.
Speaking in Delhi, Kharge clarified that the Congress party has consistently supported women’s reservation and rejected any suggestion that it opposes the measure.
He stated that Congress has long advocated for one-third reservation for women and had unanimously supported the 2023 amendment related to the issue.
However, Kharge alleged that the government introduced additional provisions within the bill that went beyond the scope of women’s reservation. He claimed that a delimitation clause was inserted into the legislation, effectively linking women’s reservation with future electoral restructuring.
He argued that combining women’s reservation with delimitation provisions was an attempt to consolidate multiple legislative changes into a single framework.
According to Kharge, this approach could allow the government to influence future electoral boundaries and representation through simpler legislative procedures. He expressed concern that such provisions could enable significant changes to be made with a simple majority in Parliament.
He alleged that the intent behind merging these provisions was to gain greater control over future delimitation processes and decision making in the House.
Kharge suggested that the implementation of women’s reservation should be carried out within the existing strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats, rather than being tied to future census or delimitation exercises. He also pointed out that such measures could be considered after the completion of the next census or caste census, and implemented in subsequent elections.
He emphasized that the process should be transparent and not linked to broader structural changes in the electoral system.
Further intensifying his criticism, Kharge accused the government of attempting to centralize power and alter the constitutional framework.
He alleged that the government’s intention is to change the structure of the Constitution and concentrate executive power.
The remarks come amid ongoing political debates over women’s reservation, delimitation, and electoral reforms, which have become key issues in national discourse.
It is important to note that these are political allegations made by an opposition leader, and there has been no official response from the government in this context.
The controversy highlights the deep divide between the ruling party and the opposition on constitutional amendments and the implementation of key legislative reforms, particularly those related to representation and governance.
