Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor has voiced criticism regarding the Union Government's decision to link the Women's Reservation Bill, officially known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, with a future delimitation exercise. Speaking on the matter, Mr. Tharoor described the move as a "gift wrapped in barbed wire," implying that the positive intent of the bill is undermined by a significant delay in its implementation.

The Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third, or 33 percent, of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies, was a key legislative focus during the recent special session of Parliament. While the bill aims to address long-standing gender disparity in political representation, its provisions state that the reservation will only come into effect after the next census has been conducted and a subsequent delimitation exercise has been carried out.

Mr. Tharoor's primary concern centers on this conditional clause, which he argues will postpone the practical application of women's reservation for an indefinite period. The most recent census was conducted in 2011, and the 2021 census, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has not yet been conducted or published. Furthermore, the current legal framework mandates a freeze on delimitation until 2026, based on the 2001 census figures, to allow states with slower population growth to catch up.

The sequence of events required for the bill's implementation involves several steps, each with its own timeline:

  • Conduct of the 2021 Census: This vital demographic exercise is yet to begin.
  • Publication of Census Data: Following data collection, processing and publication can take several years.
  • Delimitation Commission Formation: Once census data is available, a Delimitation Commission would need to be constituted.
  • Redrawing of Constituencies: The Commission would then undertake the complex task of redrawing Lok Sabha and state assembly constituencies, a process that typically spans multiple years. This exercise would also include reserving one-third of seats for women on a rotational basis.

Given these prerequisites, the earliest possible implementation of the women's quota is anticipated to be several years away, potentially not before the 2029 general elections or even later. Critics like Mr. Tharoor argue that this effectively makes the current passage of the bill a symbolic gesture without immediate practical impact.

The debate around women's reservation in India has a long history, with various attempts to introduce such legislation dating back to 1996. Previous versions of the bill faced hurdles and lapsed without becoming law. While the current bill has garnered broad political support for its objective, the specifics of its implementation timeline remain a point of contention among political parties. The Union Government has maintained that the delimitation exercise is a necessary step to ensure fair and updated representation based on population changes.

As the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has passed in the Lok Sabha and awaits consideration in the Rajya Sabha, the legislative process continues. However, the discussions surrounding its practical timeline and the requirement for a fresh census and delimitation exercise are expected to persist as India navigates its path towards enhanced gender equality in political representation.