Delimitation won’t harm any state, says PM Modi; urges Opposition to avoid politicising women’s quota

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the Opposition not to give a “political colour” to the government’s push to implement the women’s reservation law, cautioning that those who had opposed it in the past had faced electoral setbacks.

Intervening in the Lok Sabha during a debate on three Bills linked to the rollout of the women’s quota and a fresh delimitation exercise, Modi said the issue should be viewed in the larger national interest.

“Since women’s reservation came into discussion, those who opposed this in the past were not forgiven by the women of the country and they ended up badly in the elections that followed,” he said. Seeking to allay concerns over delimitation, the Prime Minister assured that no injustice would be done to any state “from east to west and north to south”.

“If all sides support these Bills, it will not go in favour of politics of any one side, but in favour of the country,” he added.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which seeks to amend provisions related to the women’s quota law, was introduced in the Lok Sabha after a division of votes. Two accompanying Bills — the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill — were also introduced to operationalise the proposed framework, including in Union territories such as Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

Emphasising the significance of the move, Modi said Parliament had an opportunity to ensure greater participation of women in decision-making.

“Let us not miss this important opportunity to give reservation to women. Do not see this from a political lens; this is a decision in national interest,” he said.

The Bills were taken up following a nearly 40-minute debate, during which the Opposition demanded a division of votes on the introduction of the Constitution Amendment Bill.