New Delhi: The women's reservation bill that the government introduced on Tuesday was criticised by the Congress as "election jumla" and a "huge betrayal of the hopes of women" by the party's members, who pointed out that the Centre has said the quota won't take effect until after a Census and delimitation exercise are carried out after the bill is passed.
The Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which grants women a 33 percent quota in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was passed by the government on Tuesday, satiating a long-standing demand. Since the reservation won't take effect until after a census and delimitation procedure are finished, it's unlikely to be in place for the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
As for the women's reservation law, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stated his party has always backed it.—Inputs from Agencies