The Bharatiya Janata Party, Biju Janata Dal and Congress resorted to political one-upmanship as a special session of Odisha Legislative Assembly on Thursday (April 30, 2026) discussed the participation of women in Indian democracy in the wake of the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment Bill failing to pass in Parliament.

Speaking at the Assembly, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, “Today, women in Indian democracy are not just voters but active participants. At the grassroots level, around 14.5 lakh women are serving as elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions, proving their capabilities.”