Sanjay Raut, a Member of Parliament from Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed his disapproval of the Centre’s initiative concerning women’s reservation. He suggested that the government should rename the proposed ‘Mahila Nari Shakti’ Bill to the ‘BJP Shakti Bill,’ claiming it serves political interests rather than the welfare of women. Raut made these statements while addressing the media on April 16, 2023, prior to a special session of Parliament.

Raut raised questions regarding the necessity of increasing parliamentary seats and the potential impact of the proposed changes. He argued that if the objective is to provide 33 per cent reservation for women, it should be implemented based on the existing parliamentary structure of 543 seats rather than proposing an increase to 800 Lok Sabha seats and 400 in Maharashtra’s Legislative Assembly.

He further implied that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was manipulating constituency boundaries to favour its political agenda. Raut commented, “If you wish to increase the numbers, then do delimitation according to your wishes, and play politics according to your wishes.” He reiterated his call for transparency in the process and the need to focus on women’s representation without ulterior motives.

Concerns About Legislative Support and Opposition Unity

Raut also examined the current legislative support for the proposed bill, stating that the government’s ability to pass it relies on having 286 to 264 votes in favour. He noted that the government currently holds 292 votes, but expressed doubts regarding the ease of navigating the legislative process. “No one should be under the illusion that this bill will pass effortlessly,” he said, emphasising the critical role of opposition unity in facilitating or obstructing the bill’s passage.

Referencing previous legislative efforts, he highlighted how potential walkouts in prior agrarian reforms could benefit the government. “Those who aid the government in this will be perceived as betraying the country,” he made clear, illustrating the high stakes of the upcoming parliamentary discussions.

Raut confirmed that the opposition, including Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, is not against women’s reservation itself but opposes the purported tactics the BJP is using under the guise of delimitation to reshape the political landscape.

Other Opposition Parties Echo Similar Sentiments

N.K. Premachandran, an MP from the Revolutionary Socialist Party, shared similar concerns, asserting that the entirety of the opposition supports women’s reservation. He voiced apprehension that the government’s forthcoming bills appear to focus on delimitation rather than actual women’s representation. He rejected the procedural approach being utilised for the delimitation process found within the latest proposed legislation.

The Centre has initiated a three-day special parliamentary session from April 16 to April 18 to discuss these important issues. The government’s strategy aims to implement women’s reservation regulations before the 2029 General Elections, necessitating an amendment to the previously passed 2023 Act and a constitutional revision to dissociate delimitation efforts from the 2027 census.

This proposal envisions increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to between 850 and 815 for various states and 35 for Union Territories, in contrast to the current composition of 543. The realignment of constituencies based on the 2011 census aims to reshape legislative representation throughout the country, which remains a focal point of debate among political leaders.

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