Members of the National Coalition for Women’s Reservation-Karnataka has demanded immediate implementation of the women’s reservation Act by delinking it from Census and delimitation.

Condemning the delay in delivering equal political representation for women, the members demanded that in the Monsoon Session, the government should take steps to implement the Act. 

“The 2023 legislation introduced as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has failed to translate that promise into reality. By linking implementation to a future Census and delimitation exercise, the government has effectively placed women’s political representation on indefinite hold,” said a statement from the coalition.

Jyothi A. from NFIW stressed that the demand for women’s reservation has been continuing for three decades and questioned the need to link it with Census and delimitation.

“Development is not possible without equal political representation of women who form 50% of the population. Narendra Modi promised that he would get the Bill passed soon after he becomes Prime Minister. It has been more than a decade since he came to power. The Act is still awaiting implementation,” said Devi from AIDWA.  

The women’s reservation Bill was first introduced in 1996 as a private member’s Bill. While it was presented in the Rajya Sabha in 2010, it was not tabled in the Lok Sabha and lapsed in 2014. When it was reintroduced and passed in 2023, it included a clause linking implementation to a future Census and delimitation exercise. This essentially meant that the 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State assemblies would come into effect only after the first Census conducted after the Act, and a subsequent delimitation exercise based on that Census. 

The Union government recently attempted to pass a delimitation-linked legislative package claimed to be aimed at expediting the women’s reservation Act. The Bill, however, was defeated in Parliament.

Over the past two months, the coalition has intensified nationwide mobilisation through petition campaigns and public outreach initiatives urging to implement the 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies.

Aasha Ramesh from Vimochana pointed out that even the 2023 Bill covered reservation of women in only Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies leaving out Rajya Sabha and State Lagislative Councils. Shilpa Prasad of AIPWA, Celin Thomas of ICWM, Dorcas Pearl Sudeep of YWCA Bengaluru and Leila Passah, development professional, spoke at the event.