NEW DELHI: As the Union government moves ahead with proposed amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act, Opposition parties on Tuesday wrote to Union Parliamentary Minister Kiren Rijiju seeking an all-party meeting at the end of next month after the current Assembly elections conclude. They also asked the government to provide a clear note outlining the proposed changes.
This newspaper had reported that the Opposition parties were planning to submit a joint letter to the government to call an all-party meeting for greater clarity on the move.
The parties believe such a meeting would help avoid confusion and build consensus.
The proposed amendments may link the implementation of the Act to the 2011 Census, allowing faster rollout. Another idea under discussion is to increase the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats by fifty percent on a proportional basis.
In his letter, signed by leaders of several opposition parties, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge urged the government to organise an all-party meeting led by the Prime Minister. He recalled his earlier request dated March 16, 2026, where he had asked for detailed discussions on the roadmap for implementing the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam of 2023.
Kharge noted that the government now appears to be considering another amendment to the Constitution change passed in September 2023. He stressed that all Opposition parties are united in asking for a full discussion before any step is taken.
They insisted that for the meeting to be useful, the government must first circulate a detailed document explaining its plans. They suggested holding the meeting after the elections end on April 29.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held talks with leaders of several regional parties, including the Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress Party, NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and AIMIM, on the proposed changes to the Women’s Reservation Act.
Major opposition parties do not attend session
However, major Opposition groups did not attend and instead repeated their demand for a collective discussion. Later, Kharge met floor leaders to decide the next steps together.