A day after the women’s reservation bill failed in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 8:30 pm, the PMO announced, without disclosing the subject.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill sought to reserve 33% of seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies, along with provisions for expanding Lok Sabha seats and carrying out delimitation based on the 2011 Census. However, it fell short of the required two-thirds majority. While 298 MPs voted in favour, 230 opposed it, leading to its defeat.
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According to sources, Modi criticised the Opposition during a Cabinet meeting, accusing them of working against women’s interests. He also warned of potential political consequences and urged party leaders to communicate this narrative at the grassroots level.
On the other hand, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi described the outcome as a “victory for democracy” and a setback for the BJP. She alleged that the government strategically linked the bill with delimitation to serve political interests and to sidestep demands for a caste census.
With the bill’s failure, uncertainty now surrounds the future of women’s reservation and the delimitation process. Attention has shifted to the Prime Minister’s upcoming address, which is expected to clarify the government’s position and outline its next steps on these contentious issues.
