21 April,2026 05:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Varsha Gaikwad. File Pic
Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on Tuesday called for the immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, asserting that the provision should not be delayed by linking it to a delimitation exercise, reported PTI.
Addressing the media, Gaikwad, who represents Mumbai North-Central in the Lok Sabha, said her party's position was clear - the women's quota must be enforced without further delay.
"Our stand is that 33 per cent reservation for women should be implemented immediately," she said, arguing that procedural linkages were unnecessarily holding back a key reform aimed at improving political representation, reported PTI.
Referring to the women's reservation legislation passed in 2023, Gaikwad said its implementation had been stalled despite broad political support at the time.
She noted that if the provision had been enforced ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Lok Sabha would have had close to 180 women members today - significantly improving gender balance in lawmaking, reported PTI.
The Congress leader accused the Union government led by Narendra Modi of using the legislation symbolically without ensuring its execution on the ground.
Gaikwad also highlighted that a women's safety legislation passed by the Maharashtra legislature has been awaiting approval from the President of India for nearly three years, reported PTI.
She urged that the bill be cleared without further delay, stating that timely legal backing is essential to strengthen mechanisms aimed at protecting women.
Raising concerns at the local governance level, Gaikwad alleged discriminatory allocation of funds among elected representatives in Mumbai. She claimed that corporators from the ruling party receive significantly higher financial support compared to Opposition members, including women representatives, reported PTI.
Such disparities, she argued, indirectly impact women's ability to carry out development work in their constituencies.
On the issue of women's safety, Gaikwad questioned the gap between public statements and actual enforcement. She said that while strong rhetoric is often used, accountability remains limited when it comes to influential individuals facing action, reported PTI.
She also criticised the government over symbolic gestures, stating that representation must go beyond optics and translate into meaningful inclusion and participation.
(With inputs from PTI)
