Centre renews bid for delimitation bill as Rijiju reaches out to Rahul Gandhi
The Indian government is renewing its push for a delimitation bill that would increase the size of the Lok Sabha and implement gender-based reservations. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi continues to resist the move, citing concerns that it is designed to favor the ruling NDA coalition.
Why it matters
The proposed legislation could fundamentally alter the balance of power in Indian politics and has become a major point of contention between the government and the opposition.
NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday revived its bid to secure Parliament’s nod for its ambitious delimitation legislation that proposes to raise Lok Sabha’s strength by over 50% and implement one-third reservation for women from 2029, and appeared keen to press ahead despite LoP Rahul Gandhi rejecting its outreach for support.Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju raised the issue during his nearly 50-minute meeting with Rahul, who reiterated the Opposition’s stand that the proposed move would allow the government to redraw Lok Sabha constituencies to the NDA’s advantage in the next elections.The meeting was part of the government’s outreach to break the Parliament impasse, which has seen little business due to protests over multiple issues. However, speculation grew that the government may revive the Constitution amendment bill that was defeated in the last session.The timing remains uncertain.
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