Kathmandu— Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi engaged in a sharp political exchange on Saturday regarding the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill. The dispute centered on whether the law, which reserves 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, should be implemented immediately or remains contingent upon a delimitation exercise based on post-2026 census data.

Debate Over Delimitation and Census

The confrontation was sparked by a video of Rahul Gandhi discussing the necessity of bringing women's voices to the forefront of Indian politics. Gandhi argued that the country remains "stunted and incomplete" without the full expression of women, emphasizing that true progress requires women to have the freedom to express themselves in both private and public spheres.

Minister Kiren Rijiju responded by challenging the Congress Party to support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally. Rijiju argued that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam cannot come into force before the 2034 general elections because it is constitutionally tied to a delimitation exercise. He noted that this exercise requires census figures published after 2026, and the ongoing caste-based census could delay the process significantly.

Opposition Criticisms and Counter-Arguments

Rahul Gandhi questioned why the law, which was passed unanimously three years ago, is being linked to delimitation now. He challenged the government on why the legislation has not been implemented despite its prior passage.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate accused the government of manufacturing the delay, suggesting that the conditions imposed by the Centre prevent women from being treated as equal stakeholders. Similarly, Congress MP Pawan Khera questioned the government's true commitment to the legislation, noting that the bill's origins date back to 2012 under the previous UPA government.

Legislative Deadlock and Political Friction

The legislative impasse was highlighted by the recent defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to increase the strength of the lower house to 850 seats. While the Congress and other opposition parties have supported the women's reservation law in principle, they continue to resist the government's proposed delimitation exercise.

Adding to the friction, Rijiju pointed to the absence of women in the Karnataka cabinet as evidence of the Congress Party's inconsistent stance on the 33 percent quota. Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed the criticism, asserting that the Congress party piloted the bill and remains committed to strengthening women's representation.

The exchange occurred during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, highlighting the continued deadlock between the Centre and opposition parties over the proposed delimitation exercise.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.