Delimitation, not women's reservation, is real issue: Sonia Gandhi attacks Centre

Delimitation, not women’s reservation, is the core issue behind the Centre’s decision to convene a special session of Parliament on Monday, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said, warning that the delimitation proposal is “extremely dangerous” and an “assault on the Constitution”.

In an op-ed in The Hindu, Sonia Gandhi cited unofficial information about the government’s delimitation plans, expressing concern that they could significantly alter political representation and undermine constitutional principles.

Her remarks come amid renewed focus on the Women’s Reservation Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides for one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies and was passed in 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to all political parties seeking support for an amendment to the law.

The proposed move aims to delink its implementation from the 2027 Census and instead base it on the 2011 Census, ensuring the reservation comes into force ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

In the op-ed, Sonia Gandhi emphasised that any delimitation exercise that expands the strength of the Lok Sabha must ensure fairness in political representation, not merely rely on numerical calculations.

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