BJP didn’t notify 2023 women’s reservation law, but now wanted to use it for delimitation: Hooda

Rohtak: Haryana leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday accused BJP govt at the Centre of having double standards when it came to women's reservation.Addressing a press conference here, the former CM claimed that women's reservation had been a "long-standing commitment" of the Congress. "In contrast, BJP govt stalled the initiative for political gains and is now attempting to confuse people," he said. "The reality is that Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, officially the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, had been passed by Parliament in Sept 2023, and it later received the President's assent. Despite this, BJP has failed to implement the reservation even after three years, simply because the BJP has no intention of implementing it," he added.He clalaimed that the Centre notified the 2023 law only at night on April 16, a day before the Lok Sabha voted on the 2026 amendment. Hooda added the govt deliberately introduced a delimitation bill in Parliament, with the specific objective of delaying this reservation, without conducting a census, and cunningly tagged the women's reservation clause onto it. "The opposition, and indeed the entire nation, saw through this ploy of the BJP and ensured the govt's manoeuvre did not succeed. The opposition is now demanding that the bill be implemented in its 2023 form," he said.He pointed out that the provision of 33% reservation for women in panchayati raj institutions was a legacy of the Congress. "It was introduced under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi through the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments," he added.