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    COVER STORY                                                              APRIL 17, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    4

                                     WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL

                                      PARTIES

              LOCK HORNS

                 High-stakes political battle unfolds as Parliament prepares to debate expanded

                                                            women’s representation

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            of seats in Parliament will increase
                                                                                                                  to 816...33.4% reservation will be
            Hyderabad/New Delhi/Mumbai                                                                            for women,” he said, adding that the
            A                                                                                                     government is appealing for unani-
                  fresh political showdown is
                  brewing  in India as the gov-
                                                                                                                  mous political support.
                                                                                                                      Yet, the apparent push for con-
                  ernment pushes ahead with
            the Women’s Reservation Bill, posi-                                                                   sensus masks an undercurrent of
            tioning it as a landmark reform, while                                                                political contestation. The BJP has
            opposition voices question intent,                                                                    launched a nationwide outreach
            timing, and implementation, turn-                                                                     campaign  titled  “Mahila Samvad,”
            ing what could have been a consen-                                                                    aimed  at  engaging  women  voters
            sus-driven reform into a high-stakes                                                                  across urban and rural India, spread-
            contest over narrative and political                                                                  ing  awareness  and  gathering  feed-
            ownership.                                                                                            back. This mobilization effort signals
                At the center of the debate is the                                                                that the ruling party sees the bill not
            proposed expansion of women’s rep-                                                                    just as policy reform but also as a
            resentation in Parliament and  state                                                                  political opportunity to consolidate
            assemblies through amendments to                                                                      support among women voters ahead
            the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,                                                                     of future elections.
            which the government is preparing                                                                         BJP leaders have amplified this
            to introduce during a special three-                                                                  narrative, portraying the bill as part
            day Parliament session from April                                                                     of  a  broader  trajectory  of  wom-
            16. The move is being framed by the                                                                   en-centric governance. Party leader
            ruling establishment as a transfor-                                                                   Bhawna Bohra asserted that women
            mational step in India’s democratic                                                                   in India are now poised to “write his-
            journey, even as critics argue that the                                                               tory,” crediting the current admin-
            politics surrounding it reveals deeper                                                                istration with improving women’s
            fault lines.                                                                                          social status. “This three-day special
                Prime Minister Narendra Modi                                                                      session will be very important for all
            is set to address a major Mahila Sam-                                                                 women,” she said, while also accus-
            melan at Vigyan Bhawan on April                                                                       ing previous governments of delaying
            13,  an  outreach  effort  widely  seen                                                               the bill through “all sorts of tricks.”
            as part of a broader strategy to build                                                                    Support for the bill extends be-
            public momentum ahead of the legis-                                                                   yond the ruling party, at least in prin-
            lative push. According to sources, the   The Women’s Reservation Bill can significantly benefit the government led by Narendra Modi   ciple. Voices from civil society, legal
            Prime Minister is expected to under-                                                                  circles,  and  opposition  ranks  have
            line the government’s commitment       by strengthening its image as a champion of women’s empowerment (ANI Photo)  acknowledged the transformative
            to “Nari Shakti” and emphasize that                                                                   potential of increased women’s rep-
            greater representation of women will   are significant. Union Minister Ram-  with 33.4 per cent reserved for wom-  resentation. Senior advocate Meera
            lead to “more inclusive and balanced   das Athawale said that once imple-  en, including those from Scheduled   Devi noted that women have long
            governance.”                      mented, Parliament’s total strength   Castes and Scheduled Tribes. “After   contributed  to nation-building  but
                The numbers being proposed    would  rise  from  543  to  816  seats,   this bill is passed, the total number   Continued on next page... >>

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