Assam Assembly Urges Centre to Implement 33% Women’s Quota After Delimitation
The non-binding state resolution presses Parliament to revive a stalled constitutional amendment and ties the quota to a pending delimitation that could change constituency numbers.
Overview
- The Assam Legislative Assembly adopted a government resolution by voice vote on Tuesday urging the Centre to implement a one‑third reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies after delimitation.
- The resolution is non-binding and does not change central law; the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which links the quota to delimitation, failed to pass in Parliament when it was debated in April.
- Opposition Congress and Raijor Dal MLAs briefly staged a walkout during debate and later returned, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Congress of being 'anti‑women' and of receiving instructions from its central leadership.
- Proponents in the House framed the demand as both a women’s‑empowerment measure and a way to increase Assam’s Lok Sabha and assembly seats after delimitation, a change they say could boost indigenous representation.
- Assam’s move mirrors similar resolutions by other NDA-ruled states and is intended to increase pressure on Parliament to pass the amendment; if enacted, the change would raise the number of women elected and could shift local political calculations.