Congress accused the government of calling a special session to gain political advantage in the upcoming elections in Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The session aimed to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill and a delimitation-related bill, which Congress claimed violated the Model Code of Conduct.
Congress’s Allegations on Special Session
Congress General Secretary (Communication Incharge) Jairam Ramesh alleged that after passing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023, the government “slept” for 30 months. Now, during the election season, the government seeks “double credit” for its actions, he said.
Ramesh also pointed out that the government did not make any official communication or proposal regarding delimitation. However, he mentioned that it was rumored that there would be a proportional increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats.
Disadvantages for Smaller States
Ramesh expressed concern that smaller states, particularly from the south, northeast, and west, would suffer from the proposed changes. According to him, Uttar Pradesh’s number of seats could increase to 120, while Kerala could reach only 40. This, Ramesh argued, would heavily disadvantage these regions.
Special Session for Political Gain
Ramesh further claimed that the sole purpose of the special session was to influence the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal elections. He questioned why the session could not have been called after 15 days. He said that the timing seemed designed to manipulate political outcomes, especially when the election code was in place.
Opposition’s Response and Strategy
Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, plan to hold a meeting with senior Congress leaders before April 16. They aim to formulate a strategy with other opposition leaders regarding the special session.
Ramesh also criticized the government’s “narrative management” approach, suggesting that it called the session because it was losing control over political and foreign policy narratives.
Government’s Urgency and Calendar
Ramesh emphasized that the government should not rush into calling an all-party meeting before April 29. He noted that the government’s decision to call the session came after the announcement that the parliamentary budget session would resume on April 16, following a short break. The meeting is set to discuss the bill to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 and quickly implement the Women’s Reservation Law.
Congress’s Proposal for All-Party Meeting
This controversy marked the latest clash between the government and opposition. The government is eager to pass bills, including changes to the Women’s Reservation Bill. Meanwhile, the opposition accuses the government of trying to rush changes to gain political advantage in state elections.
On April 16, both houses of Parliament will meet for a special session, which may last for three days. According to sources, this meeting will focus on proposed laws, including changes to the Women’s Reservation Bill and delimitation.
Letter Exchanges Between Congress and Government
According to Ramesh, there was an exchange of letters between Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. On March 16, Rijiju wrote to Kharge about discussing changes to the Women’s Reservation Bill. Kharge responded by requesting an all-party meeting to ensure unity, as he believed the government practiced “divide and rule.”
Ramesh mentioned that despite these letter exchanges, the government decided to call the special session unilaterally. This decision coincides with the election campaigns in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where the Model Code of Conduct is already in place.
Delimitation and Women’s Reservation Bills
Ramesh criticized the government for pushing forward with the special session under the guise of discussing the Women’s Reservation Bill. He argued that the session would also address delimitation, an issue not previously mentioned by the government. According to Ramesh, the session would bring changes to both the Women’s Reservation Bill and constitutional amendments related to delimitation.
Election Timelines and Parliamentary Session
The special session will be part of the second half of the budget session. According to the government calendar, the session was supposed to be postponed after April 2 for an indefinite period. Elections in Puducherry, Assam, and Kerala are scheduled for April 9, while elections in West Bengal will occur in two phases on April 23 and 29. Tamil Nadu’s election is set for April 23 in a single phase.
