‘Delimitation is the real issue, not women’s quota’: Sonia Gandhi

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday launched a sharp critique of the Centre’s proposed legislative agenda, asserting that the real concern is delimitation, not women’s reservation .

In a detailed article published in The Hindu , she described the reported delimitation exercise as “extremely dangerous” and warned that it could amount to an “assault on the Constitution” if not handled with care.

Gandhi argued that any increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha must be guided by political fairness and equity , not just numbers. A purely arithmetic approach, she cautioned, could disrupt the balance of representation among states.

Taking aim at the timing of the special parliamentary session, she alleged that the government was acting in “extraordinary haste” to secure political advantage, especially with elections underway in key states. According to her, this move places the Opposition on the defensive rather than encouraging meaningful debate.

Reiterating that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was already passed unanimously, Gandhi said the issue lies in its delayed implementation . She questioned why the government is now considering changes to bring it into effect by 2029 after a long delay.

She also flagged concerns over the delayed Census , noting its impact on welfare schemes and policy planning. Referring to the proposed caste enumeration in the upcoming Census, she alleged inconsistency in the government’s stand and questioned its intent.

Gandhi further pointed out that Opposition leaders had repeatedly sought an all party meeting , but the request was declined. Instead, she claimed, the government has relied on public messaging rather than consultation.

Calling for wider discussion, she said reforms of such magnitude must be debated thoroughly, warning that rushing through them would be “deeply flawed and anti democratic.”

She concluded that while women’s reservation is a settled issue , the real debate lies in delimitation and its far reaching political consequences , urging the government to allow proper deliberation before proceeding.