Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that the House would be adjourned and reconvened soon to consider a “very important” bill, amid indications that the government may move legislation linked to women’s reservation and expansion of Lok Sabha seats.
Responding to queries from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in the Upper House, Rijiju said the government would propose adjournment at the close of proceedings on what was scheduled to be the final day of the Budget session.
“We have certain important issues, we have shared this with the Opposition also. We are going to have a very important bill in next 2-3 weeks,” he said.
“Today, government will propose for the House to be adjourned, and we will meet very soon; purpose is known to the members,” Rijiju added.
Earlier in the day, he said the Rajya Sabha would take up the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill for passage.
The minister’s remarks come against the backdrop of discussions between the government and Opposition over potential legislation to operationalise the women’s reservation law. The proposed measures are understood to include steps to delink delimitation from the Census and increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from the current 546 seats to 861.
Ramesh said the Opposition had sought that any all-party meeting on the issue be held after the conclusion of ongoing Assembly elections on April 29, signalling concerns over the timing of the proposed legislative move.
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Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress supports reservation for women in legislatures but cautioned that the proposed bills carry long-term implications.
He also alleged that the government was attempting to derive political advantage by bringing forward such legislation at a time when several states are heading to the polls.
Rijiju rejected the charge, maintaining that the issue should not be politicised and asserting that the government is committed to fulfilling its promise on women’s representation.
The possibility of increasing Lok Sabha seats and implementing the long-pending reservation for women is expected to have significant political and constitutional implications, with consultations between parties likely to continue in the coming weeks.
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