Mallikarjun Kharge Questions Centre’s Intent on Women’s Reservation, Calls for United Opposition Strategy at CWC Meeting

Image Source : @INCIndia CONGRESS

Dated 11th April 2026

News By Dr. B R Abdul Wajid

Editor in Chief

New Delhi | At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on April 10, 2026 at Indira Bhawan, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge addressed senior leaders and other members, raising serious concerns over the Centre’s approach towards women’s reservation and proposed electoral changes.

Shri Kharge said that after a long silence, the Modi government has suddenly become active on the issue of 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. He informed that a parliamentary meeting has been scheduled between April 16 and 18, but pointed out that no formal proposal has been shared with the Congress party so far. He said that only limited details have emerged through an article written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

VIDEO | The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi. Source : @INCIndia CONGRESS

He alleged that the government is trying to pass a constitutional amendment bill in a hurry to gain political advantage in upcoming elections. According to available information, the government is planning to implement women’s reservation only from the 2029 elections and is also proposing to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816, along with a similar rise in State Assemblies. He cautioned that such delimitation proposals could have serious consequences and require detailed discussion.

The Congress President further alleged that the parliamentary meeting is being called with political intentions. He said that opposition leaders had written multiple times to the government, requesting an all-party meeting after the West Bengal election process, but their demands were ignored. He termed this move as a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and criticised the functioning of the Election Commission of India, stating that it is unlikely to take note of such concerns.

Kharge pointed out that the meeting has been scheduled at a time when many MPs are busy campaigning in assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. He accused the Modi government of weakening democratic processes and taking arbitrary decisions, which the Congress has consistently opposed.

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Reaffirming the Congress party’s commitment to women’s empowerment, Shri Kharge said that the party does not need any certification on issues related to welfare of women and weaker sections. He highlighted that it was under the leadership of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi that one-third reservation for women was introduced in Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in 1993. He noted that today nearly 14.5 lakh women are elected representatives across the country due to these reforms.

He also recalled that even before independence, when women did not have voting rights, Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian woman president of the Congress party. He said that since then, several women leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, have played key roles in strengthening the party and governance.

Image Source : @INCIndia CONGRESS

Kharge said that the Congress has continuously worked towards women’s reservation and has repeatedly urged the government to act. He mentioned that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have written several letters on the issue, and during the 2023 CWC meeting in Hyderabad, the party had demanded a special session of Parliament to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Recalling his speech in Parliament on September 23, 2023, Kharge said he had demanded immediate implementation of the bill, but the government linked it to delimitation and Census, raising several questions in the public domain.

He stated that the current CWC meeting aims to gather views from party members and prepare a strong strategy regarding the proposed amendments, which could significantly impact the electoral system. He added that the Congress will also hold discussions with other opposition parties to formulate a united approach.

Kharge also highlighted the ongoing crisis in West Asia, stating that it has put immense pressure on the country and affected crores of people and stressed the need to discuss this issue as well.

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Mallikarjun Kharge stressed that issues like women’s reservation and electoral reforms must be handled with transparency, wider consultation and respect for democratic values. He reiterated that the Congress party will continue to stand firmly for social justice, women’s empowerment and protection of democratic institutions, while working closely with like-minded opposition parties to ensure that the voice of the people is not ignored.

News By Dr. B R Abdul Wajid