Srinagar, April 23: Rajya Sabha member Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan referred to the Women’s Reservation Bill, stating that the legislation was originally introduced in 2023, but the government did not give it effective implementation at that time.
He said the renewed attempt to bring the bill forward now appears to be linked to the process of delimitation, suggesting that such a move could provide political advantage to certain parties. According to him, the proposal in its current form may benefit specific political interests rather than advancing the broader objective of women’s empowerment.
Ramzan further stated that opposition parties had raised objections to the bill, particularly pointing out that a fresh population census has not yet been conducted. He noted that the last nationwide census in India was carried out in 2011, and argued that major policy decisions related to reservation and constituency restructuring should be based on updated population data.
He also pointed out that elections are scheduled to take place in five regions West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry and suggested that the timing of the renewed push reflects a political agenda.
He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is more focused on electoral considerations than on genuine commitment to women’s reservation.
