Kharge Accuses Modi of Misleading Public on Women’s Reservation

Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the public over the implementation of women’s reservation. He argued that the 33% quota could be introduced in the existing legislatures without waiting for delimitation.

Kharge alleged that the government was politicising the issue to target the opposition, asserting that Congress had previously supported efforts to pass the legislation. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in September 2023, provides for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the Delhi Assembly, with implementation linked to a future census and delimitation exercise.

Kharge also urged Modi to convene an all-party meeting before finalising delimitation proposals. In his fourth letter to the Prime Minister, dated October 16, he recalled that the delimitation-related Constitutional Amendment Bill introduced in April 2026 failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17. He said his earlier letters on April 11, July 16 and August 27 had also called for wider consultation among political parties.