New Delhi, April 12 (NationPress) Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed support for party leader Mallikarjun Kharge's apprehensions about the upcoming Special Session of Parliament set to discuss the Women's Reservation (Amendment) Bill on April 16, describing it as a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct given that the Assembly election campaigns are still in progress.

The Congress party has requested an all-party meeting to address the delimitation process before the special session takes place. They demand that discussions be held after April 29, once the campaigning for the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal concludes.

In a post on X, Ramesh referenced Kharge's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, "The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji has reached out to the PM about the special session of Parliament being convened next week amidst the election campaigns in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal -- which constitutes a clear breach of the Model Code of Conduct. He has reiterated the opposition's request for an All-Party meeting to be convened anytime after April 29, 2026."

A Special Session is scheduled next week to discuss and potentially pass the Women's Reservation (Amendment) Bill.

PM Modi has corresponded with leaders of all political parties in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, seeking their backing for the unanimous approval of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to facilitate the implementation of women's reservation prior to the 2029 elections.

In his response to the Prime Minister's letter, Kharge criticized the government for attempting to implement the Women's Reservation (Amendment) Bill hastily to gain political advantage rather than focusing on women's empowerment.

Kharge noted in his reply, "I have just received your letter regarding the special session of Parliament for discussing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam from April 16. It is important to highlight that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 was passed unanimously by Parliament in September 2023."

He continued, "At that time, on behalf of the Indian National Congress, I had advocated for the immediate effectiveness of this significant law. Although you mentioned in your letter that there was broad consensus for its immediate implementation, it has yet to be enacted."

The Congress leader urged the PM to convene an all-party meeting concerning delimitation, which he stated is linked to modifications of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023. He also asserted that the special session of Parliament was convened without consulting the opposition.

"You will understand that without clarity on delimitation and other factors, it would be unfeasible to conduct a productive discussion on this historic law," he added.

Kharge further pointed out that the government has claimed to engage in dialogue with political parties, but he lamented that this contradicts the reality since all opposition parties have been urging the government to hold an All-Party meeting post the current electoral cycle ending April 29, 2026, to discuss the proposed constitutional amendments.

He accused the government of hastily pushing the Bill for political gain, stating, "The scheduling of a special session during ongoing state elections only reinforces our belief that your government is rushing the Bill's implementation to acquire political mileage instead of genuinely empowering women."

Reflecting on the passage of previous bills, Kharge stated, "I am also distressed to note that the government's historical record on matters of public significance, such as demonetization, GST, and the census, fails to inspire confidence."

"The constitutional amendments under consideration will impact both the Centre and the states, making it vital that all parties and states, regardless of size, are included in the democratic process," he stressed.

If the special session aims to "fortify our democracy" and to "move forward together," as the Prime Minister suggests, Kharge recommended that the Centre hold an All-Party meeting anytime after April 29 to discuss delimitation, which is linked to the amendments of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will likely need support from opposition parties to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary for passing the constitutional amendment in Parliament.

The proposed legislation aims to decouple the implementation of women's reservation from the 2027 Census and instead rely on the 2011 Census, ensuring that the quota is in effect before the 2029 general elections.