The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a strict three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, mandating full attendance during the special Parliament session on the Women’s Reservation Act from April 16 to April 18.
Party leaders circulated the directive on April 12, instructing MPs and Union Ministers to remain present throughout the three-day session without leave. The whip highlights the importance of the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which reserves 33 per cent of seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies but links implementation to post-census delimitation.
With census delays continuing, the government plans to use 2011 census figures to expand Lok Sabha seats to 816, reserving 273 for women ahead of the 2029 elections. The session will focus on amending the Women’s Reservation Act to enable these changes.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded with a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticising the timing of the session during the ongoing state polls. He accused the government of seeking political mileage rather than genuine empowerment. Kharge demanded an all-party meeting after April 29 to discuss the law, citing a lack of consultation and transparency on delimitation details.
Kharge also pointed to past issues such as demonetisation, GST rollout, and census delays, arguing that they created a trust deficit. He urged the government to delay implementation until opposition concerns are addressed.
