Delimitation politics behind façade of women’s reservation?

Congress has consistently supported 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislatures without conditions.

As Parliament prepares for another crucial session, the debate over women’s political representation has once again taken centre stage. The question, however, is no longer whether India should provide greater representation to women in legislatures—there is broad political consensus on that objective. The real controversy lies in whether the implementation of women’s reservation should be made contingent upon a nationwide delimitation exercise, a move that many fear could fundamentally alter India’s federal balance.

Mahatma Gandhi firmly believed that women possess an equal right to participate in public life and governance. Inspired by that vision, the Indian National Congress has consistently advocated women’s political empowerment and played a pioneering role in opening democratic institutions to women. India witnessed its first woman Prime Minister and later a woman President under Congress governments, reflecting the party’s long-standing commitment to gender equality in public life.

Congress’s contribution to women’s political representation extends far beyond symbolism. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi initiated the process of providing reservations for women in local self-government institutions. That vision became a constitutional reality under the leadership of Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which ensured reservations for women in Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies. Today, millions of women serve as elected representatives across the country because of those reforms. Subsequently, the UPA government under Dr. Manmohan Singh successfully secured the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, further reinforcing Congress’s commitment to expanding women’s representation.

Delimitation is an accepted constitutional process intended to periodically redraw constituency boundaries in accordance with demographic changes. In a federal democracy such as India, however, delimitation cannot be viewed merely as a mathematical exercise based on population. It directly affects the balance of political representation among states, the federal structure, and the principle of equitable representation. Recognising these sensitivities, successive governments adopted a cautious approach. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment enacted during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure and the 84th Constitutional Amendment under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee deferred population-based readjustment of parliamentary seats for specified periods. The underlying objective was to ensure that states which successfully implemented population control measures were not politically disadvantaged.

Today, concerns are being expressed that a fresh delimitation exercise based solely on current population figures could significantly reduce the relative representation of southern states while substantially increasing the parliamentary strength of northern states. Such an outcome, critics argue, could disturb the delicate federal equilibrium that has remained central to India’s constitutional architecture.

The proposed expansion of the Lok Sabha from 543 to approximately 850 seats has further intensified these apprehensions. According to estimates cited by critics of the proposal, southern states may witness only a modest increase in representation, while northern states could receive a disproportionately larger share of additional constituencies. This raises broader questions regarding regional equity, federal balance and long-term political representation.

India’s strength lies in its diversity and cooperative federalism. Any constitutional reform affecting representation must therefore be undertaken transparently, through broad national consensus, and in a manner that commands the confidence of every state. Reforms of such constitutional significance should strengthen national unity rather than create regional anxieties.

Several political parties and civil society organisations have also argued that women’s reservation should not be delayed by linking it to future administrative exercises such as the Census or delimitation. They contend that the constitutional commitment to women’s representation should be implemented independently and without further procedural conditions.

As Parliament convenes, the national priority should be clear. Women’s reservation deserves immediate and unconditional implementation. Simultaneously, any future delimitation exercise must be conducted through wide consultation, constitutional propriety, and consensus among all stakeholders, ensuring that no region feels politically marginalised and that India’s federal spirit remains fully protected.

Women’s political empowerment and the preservation of India’s federal balance need not be competing objectives. A mature democracy must be capable of achieving both simultaneously through dialogue, constitutional fidelity and inclusive policymaking.

(The writer is MLC & President, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC)