TMC questions timing of Bill on women’s reservation
The Statesman | 17 April 2026
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Thursday demanded reservation of 50 per cent of seats for women in the Parliament instead of 33 per cent proposed in the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
Participating in the discussions in the Lok Sabha, Dastidar said TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had already been fielding over 33 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha so the demand should now be for 50 per cent.
Currently, the TMC has 29 MPs — 18 men and 11 women, the highest percentage of women MPs among all major political parties in the 18th Lok Sabha. Dastikar said the amendments were actually not for women empowerment but to undertake the delimitation exercise. Questioning the Bill’s timing that has been brought when elections are underway in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, she said the Bill being introduced during the poll season raises suspicion and concern behind its intent. It is hard to believe that a government, which remained silent to Manipuri women’s torture, is now in such a rush to ensure women empowerment, she said.
“This Bill for ensuring women empowerment is for undertaking the delimitation exercise in disguise that you want to approve silently. This bill will destroy democracy and create a dangerous situation for the country,” she said, adding that it is unfair to reduce seats in states that have effectively implemented population control measures under the population-based seat redistribution system.