Kathmandu— Shiromani Akali Dal leadership met in Chandigarh on Saturday to demand the immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill, citing the party's ideological commitment to gender equality. The high-level meeting addressed several key legislative issues currently before Parliament, including the proposed delimitation exercise and the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.

Ideological Support for Gender Equality

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal stated that the party's support for the bill is rooted in the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, who advocated for the dignity, equality, and equal rights of women.

Badal pointed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) as a precedent, noting that the organization has already implemented women's reservation within its own House.

Concerns Over Delimitation Process

The party also held extensive discussions regarding the proposed delimitation exercise, emphasizing the need for a fair and equitable process. Badal stressed that the exercise must be conducted in a manner that protects the interests of all states and ensures equal representation.

Specifically, the SAD expressed support for a government proposal involving a uniform 50% increase in seats across all states to ensure no single state is disadvantaged by the process.

Legislative Context of the Bill

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which proposes a 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures, has faced delays in implementation. While passed by both Houses of Parliament, the process stalled after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has called for both women's reservation and the delimitation process to be executed immediately.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.