NEW DELHI – Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has launched a sharp critique of the Union Government’s decision to convene a special session of Parliament this week. In a detailed op-ed, Gandhi argued that while the government is framing the session around women’s reservation, the “real and dangerous” agenda is the proposed delimitation exercise.
Gandhi accused the Centre of attempting to “bulldoze” far-reaching constitutional changes while election campaigns in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are at their peak.
Concerns Over Delimitation
According to Gandhi, unofficially available information suggests the government’s delimitation plan represents an “assault on the Constitution.” She raised several key concerns:
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Equitable Representation: She warned that delimitation must be politically, and not just arithmetically, equitable.
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Disadvantage to Pioneer States: States that successfully implemented family planning programs could face a loss of relative political influence if seats are redistributed solely based on current population numbers.
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Census Linkage: Gandhi questioned the “tearing hurry” for the session, noting that Census operations—delayed by five years—are only expected to yield results in 2027.
The Women’s Reservation “U-Turn”
The Prime Minister recently sought support for an amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to delink it from the 2027 Census, allowing for implementation by the 2029 general elections based on 2011 data.
Gandhi questioned why it took the Prime Minister “30 months to make this U-turn” and why the government refused the Opposition’s request to hold an all-party meeting after the West Bengal polls conclude on April 29. She characterized the move as “narrative management” and “one-upmanship.”
Demand for Caste Census
The Congress leader also dismissed “propaganda” that a caste census would delay the 2027 Census results. She alleged that the government’s true intention is to “delay and derail” the caste census, which the Opposition has long demanded for social justice mapping.
The Opposition’s Stance: Sonia Gandhi maintained that while the Congress fully supports women’s reservation—tracing its roots back to Rajiv Gandhi’s panchayat reforms—the current special session is an “underhand tactic” to place the Opposition on the defensive during a critical election window.
