On I-Day, PM appeals for women's quota, Congress calls pitch 'dishonest'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, appealed to all political parties to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies. The Congress responded sharply, accusing him of making a “dishonest pitch” and of “double-faced hypocrisy” over the issue.

In his speech, Mr. Modi said the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides for reserving one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women, had been passed in Parliament but had not been implemented. “Women today are giving able leadership in panchayats and nagar palikas and are guiding and resolving issues. Keeping this in view, we passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, but for some reason this dream has been trapped in the political arena for the last 40 years,” he said.

He urged all parties to come forward in honour of women and ensure their representation. “Under the shadow of the national flag, I appeal to all political parties: let's come forward in honour of those women and provide 33 per cent reservation to our mothers and daughters in Vidhan Sabhas and Lok Sabha and ensure their representation, so that they contribute in evolving India's policies,” Mr. Modi added, noting that political parties could claim credit for implementing the measure.

Responding on social media platform X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister’s appeal was dishonest. “He should know that the Parliament unanimously passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in September 2023 – but it was the double-faced hypocrisy of the Modi Government that made sure it won’t come into effect from the 2024 elections itself. The Adhiniyam was only notified hastily and silently late in the evening on April 16, 2026,” Mr. Ramesh wrote.

He reiterated the Congress’s position of implementing women’s reservation from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections within the current strength of 543 seats. He also credited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for introducing women’s reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in 1993.

The exchange comes amid a long-standing demand for women’s reservation in legislative bodies. While the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed unanimously in September 2023, its implementation depends on a fresh census and subsequent delimitation exercise. The Congress has argued that the government deliberately delayed these processes to prevent the quota from being enforced.

Observers note that the issue remains politically sensitive, with parties across the spectrum claiming credit while accusing rivals of stalling. The Prime Minister’s appeal on Independence Day is seen as an attempt to revive the matter ahead of upcoming state elections, while the Congress’s sharp rebuttal underscores the continuing partisan divide over the timeline and mechanism of implementation.

Women’s representation in India’s Parliament currently stands at around 14 per cent, and in State Assemblies at about 9 per cent, far below the proposed 33 per cent. The constitutional amendment, once enforced, is expected to substantially alter the composition of legislative bodies, making women’s participation a central issue in India’s democratic evolution.