Women’s group urges immediate implementation of 33 pc reservation bill

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Shimla, July 18

The demand for the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which provides 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislative assemblies, has gained momentum, with the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) submitting a memorandum to Himachal Pradesh Congress president Vinay Kumar.

The organisation urged the Opposition to raise the issue during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament and press for the immediate implementation of the legislation without any hurdles.

AIDWA state secretary Falna Chauhan said the Women’s Reservation Bill had already been passed in Parliament with the support of both the ruling and Opposition parties. However, she alleged that the Centre was now delaying its implementation by linking it to the delimitation exercise.

She said women constitute nearly half of the country’s population and therefore deserve equal participation in policymaking. Chauhan added that AIDWA had submitted similar memoranda through Opposition parties across the country, demanding that the issue be raised in Parliament and that the delimitation condition be removed so the legislation could be implemented without further delay.

Supporting the demand, Himachal Pradesh Congress president Vinay Kumar said the Congress had backed the Bill when it was introduced in Parliament. He alleged that the Centre later altered its framework by attaching the delimitation clause, preventing women from receiving the benefits of the legislation.

He said the Congress has consistently demanded that the Bill be implemented in the same form in which it was unanimously passed by all political parties.

Commenting on the postponement of the proposed Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting in Dharamshala, Vinay Kumar said the meeting had been deferred by seven to ten days due to adverse weather conditions and the busy schedule of Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal.

He said the new venue would be decided between Dharamshala and Kasauli depending on weather conditions. The meeting will focus on strengthening the party organisation, Cabinet expansion and formulating the Congress strategy for the 2027 Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.

Vinay Kumar also condemned the reported forcible hospitalisation of Sonam Wangchuk during his hunger strike in Delhi. He alleged that the Centre had adopted an anti-student and anti-people approach, saying the government should have engaged in dialogue with Wangchuk instead of taking coercive action.

Responding to questions regarding Himachal minister Jagat Singh Negi’s visit to Kinnaur, Kumar said he had spoken to the minister, and there was no disagreement within the party. He added that all leaders were working together to strengthen the organisation.

He further said show-cause notices had been issued to members who remained absent from the Himachal Pradesh Congress Executive General Body meeting, seeking explanations for their absence.