Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said he will comment on delimitation and women’s reservation bills only after the Business Advisory Committee discusses them [1].
This stance follows the defeat of a Constitution Amendment Bill on April 17, 2024 [2]. The outcome prevents the immediate implementation of legislative quotas, leaving the future of gender-based representation in India's parliament in a state of uncertainty.
Reddy said he is waiting for the Business Advisory Committee to deliberate and for the official papers to be circulated before he takes a formal position [1]. He said the day the bill was defeated was a red-letter day [2].
Despite his wait for the committee's process, Reddy said the NDA government must act immediately to prove its sincerity regarding gender reservation [3]. He said the government must bring a law reserving 33% of existing seats for women [3].
Constitutional amendments in the Lok Sabha require a two-thirds majority, or approximately 66.7% of votes, to pass [3]. The failed legislation had aimed for a target implementation year of 2029 [2].
Reddy's demand for a fresh bill suggests that the previous legislative approach was insufficient to secure the necessary parliamentary support. By calling for a new law, he is positioning the central government to demonstrate a more genuine commitment to women's representation in the legislature [3].
“I will comment on the delimitation and women’s reservation bills only after the Business Advisory Committee discusses them”
The tension between the Chief Minister's demand for an immediate new bill and his refusal to comment until the Business Advisory Committee meets highlights a strategic legislative deadlock. By insisting on a fresh bill rather than a revision of the failed one, Reddy is challenging the NDA government to produce a version of the quota that can realistically achieve the 66.7% threshold required for constitutional changes.
