Chennai, Apr 10:
Opposition leaders across party lines have raised questions on the Centre’s timing of the amendment to women’s reservation, suggesting that having a special session in the midst of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu polls could be a political manoeuvre aimed at shaping electoral narratives.
Chief Ministers across the South, including Siddaramaiah, Pinarayi Vijayan and A. Revanth Reddy have warned that this move will distort federalism and concentrate power in a few regions, the DMK president alleged.
PM Modi said on Thursday that the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act are not just a legislative exercise but a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India and urged all MPs to come together to support this significant move.
He had last week announced an extension of the Budget session of Parliament by three days, from April 16 to 18, so that the Women’s Reservation Act can be amended for its implementation from 2029.
Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday said, “Why push such a far-reaching decision in the middle of state elections. This appears to be yet another political manoeuvre aimed at shaping electoral narratives, much like earlier attempts to influence women voters ahead of the 2024 Parliament elections,” he alleged in a statement titled “This is not reform, this is reengineering power.”