Parliament to reconvene on April 16 to pass women's quota bill

New Delhi: Parliament will reconvene on April 16 to clear a Bill for early implementation of 33% women’s quota in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies with the Opposition alleging that the government has set the timeline to take political advantage ahead of elections, especially in West Bengal.

Both Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh adjourned the Houses after passing three Bills to meet again at 11 AM on April 16 but did not announce when the Session would conclude. There are reports that the extended session would end on April 18 but there was no official word.

The unprecedented reconvening of the Budget Session, which usually concludes in the first week of April, comes a week ahead of elections in Tamil Nadu and the first phase in West Bengal, as the government rejected the opposition demand for an all-party meeting to discuss the proposal after the conclusion of Assembly polls on April 29.

The government has initiated consultation with parties in the past fortnight seeking support for two Bills to amend the Constitution allowing a delimitation based on Census 2011 to increase seats in Lok Sabha and Assemblies by 50% and to enable early implementation of 33% quota, which otherwise could be rolled out only after 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Major parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) refused to meet the government managers to discuss the contours of the Bills even as some other parties like Samajwadi Party and DMK held consultations during which senior ministers explained the proposal.

Earlier in the day in Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju gave the first official indication of extending the session after Congress Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh sought clarity on whether the Budget Session will be adjourned sine die or will reconvene after some time.

Rijiju rejected accusations that the government is looking at political advantage ahead of elections.

Responding to Ramesh’s claim that the government has a “single-minded objective of getting some political advantage” violating the Model Code of Conduct, Rijiju said the government is bound to fulfil its promise given to the women of the country. “For us, this has nothing to do with a specific state election,” he said.

He said the government has held a series of meetings with parties to explain the details of a “very simple” Bill while appealing to Congress with “folded hands not to take refuge” of an all-party meeting to delay the process, the timeline of which is tight.

Maintaining that the Opposition supports the initiative, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said the government’s haste raises questions, as the Bill is important and has long-term implications.

“If you were so committed to women, why did you wait for three years after passing it? If you had to bring it, you could have brought it at the beginning of the Session,” he said, accusing the government of trying to gain political mileage by bringing the Bills as states are going to the polls. Rijiju denied the charge and said the issue should not be politicised.

Leader of House JP Nadda said the government is competent to decide time and date for bringing legislative business to Parliament, to which Kharge said Parliament, the nation and people will not tolerate such undemocratic conduct.