Kullu, April 10
Vidya Negi, chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Women, has questioned whether the Women’s Reservation Bill is being used merely as an election promise by the Central government.
Speaking to reporters at Dhalpur, Negi said the Center raises the issue of women’s reservation every time elections approach, but the Bill has still not been fully implemented despite years of discussion.
The Central government has approved the Women’s Reservation Bill, under which women are expected to begin receiving reservations in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections after the law comes into force.
Negi said that if the Bill is passed, it would be a matter of pride and respect for women. However, she added that the Indian National Congress had already implemented women’s reservation at the local level, leading to greater women’s participation in the Panchayati Raj system.
She further said that the Center has repeatedly promised to pass the Bill in the past, but even now there is discussion of amending it in April. According to Negi, this suggests that the government highlights the issue before elections, only for it to lose momentum after the polls.
Under the proposed changes, based on the 2011 Census, the number of seats in the Lok Sabha could increase from 543 to 816 by the 2029 elections. If that happens, 33 percent of the seats, or 273 seats, would be reserved for women. This would more than double women’s representation in Parliament.
The Center has fixed April 16 to 18 for passing the amendment. During this period, changes will be made to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to remove the legal hurdles that have so far delayed the implementation of reservation.
