Women’s organisations in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are demanding the immediate implementation of a 33% [1] reservation for women in legislatures.

This movement seeks to remove legal hurdles that have delayed female representation in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. By decoupling the reservation from future census data and delimitation exercises, activists aim to accelerate gender equality in Indian governance.

In Vijayawada, the Women’s Joint Action Committee and other organisations held a rally on Wednesday [2]. The participants called for the enactment of the Women’s Reservation Bill without further delays. Organisers said the government has pursued anti-women policies and intentionally stalled the reservation process [1].

Similar protests occurred in Odisha, where the women’s wing of the Congress party rallied for gender equality [3]. These groups said the current delay undermines the democratic representation of women in the country's highest law-making bodies.

Legal challenges regarding the timing of the bill are also moving through the judiciary. A plea seeking the immediate implementation of the reservation is scheduled for a hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday [4].

However, the push for immediate action faces internal political friction. Some Congress OBC leaders said the reservation should be delayed until after a caste census is completed to ensure a specific sub-quota for OBC women [5]. This creates a divide between those seeking immediate general implementation, and those prioritizing caste-based protections within the gender quota.

“Women’s organisations are demanding the immediate implementation of a 33% reservation for women in legislatures.”

The conflict between immediate implementation and the demand for a prior caste census highlights a tension in Indian politics between gender-based and caste-based affirmative action. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of immediate implementation, it could bypass the delimitation process, significantly altering the composition of the next parliament; however, failing to include OBC sub-quotas may trigger further political instability among marginalized communities.