NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday urged the Central Government to implement the 33% reservation for women in Parliament immediately, asserting that the INDIA bloc has never demanded that the women's quota be linked to the delimitation exercise. She said women's representation should not be delayed due to political or procedural reasons.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Sule maintained that the Opposition alliance has consistently supported women's reservation but opposed making its implementation conditional on a fresh census and delimitation. She argued that Parliament should move ahead with the quota without waiting for changes in constituency boundaries, saying women have already waited long enough for equitable representation in legislatures.
Her remarks come amid renewed political debate over the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. Although the constitutional amendment has been brought into force, the reservation is scheduled to take effect only after a census and a subsequent delimitation exercise, as provided under the law.
Sule also clarified that the INDIA bloc has not sought delimitation as a precondition for implementing the women's quota. According to her, the alliance's stand has always been to ensure that women receive reservation at the earliest, without linking it to other electoral reforms. She said the focus should remain on increasing women's participation in politics rather than delaying the process through additional legislative requirements.
The issue has gained fresh attention ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, with several women's organisations and opposition parties calling for the immediate enforcement of the quota. The debate is expected to continue as political parties discuss the future roadmap for implementing one of India's most significant electoral reforms aimed at improving women's representation in legislative bodies.
