Overview
- On Saturday Rahul Gandhi demanded the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam be implemented “without any conditions” and accused the government of needlessly tying it to delimitation.
- Kiren Rijiju replied on the same day by urging unconditional Congress backing and saying the 2023 law itself links implementation to a delimitation exercise based on census figures published after 2023.
- The government’s April 2026 131st Amendment and Delimitation Bill sought to allow early delimitation using older census data and to raise the Lok Sabha ceiling to about 850 seats but the amendment was defeated in the Lok Sabha for lack of a two‑thirds majority.
- Officials argue the ongoing 2026 census and caste enumeration could delay implementation until 2034 unless Parliament approves early delimitation, while Opposition leaders accept the quota’s goal but reject linking it to seat redrawing and demand all‑party consultation.
- What to watch next is whether the ruling alliance can secure crossbench and regional party votes to reintroduce the package because passage of a constitutional amendment requires a two‑thirds majority and any change would reshape state representation and the timing of reserved seats.