21 April,2026 04:49 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Rohit Pawar. File Photo
NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Tuesday accused the Union government of using the proposed women's reservation legislation as a cover to advance a larger delimitation exercise, claiming the move was aimed at increasing parliamentary seats without a scientific basis, reported PTI.
Addressing a press conference, Pawar said that the women's reservation proposal was being linked to a broader plan to redraw parliamentary constituencies. He alleged that the government was attempting to push delimitation under the guise of empowering women, reported PTI.
He pointed out that the women's reservation bill had already received support from across the political spectrum in 2023 and was passed in both Houses of Parliament. Pawar questioned the rationale behind reintroducing the issue in a different form and linking it to constituency restructuring.
The NCP (SP) leader argued that the proposal was not solely about enhancing women's representation but was part of a larger political strategy, reported PTI.
"Women are being used as a means to achieve another objective. The focus should be on genuine empowerment rather than attaching unrelated measures," he said, reported PTI.
Pawar further alleged that the push for delimitation indicated a lack of substantive governance issues, suggesting the government was prioritising political calculations over policy concerns.
According to Pawar, the Opposition prevented what he described as an "unscientific" attempt to increase the number of Members of Parliament through delimitation, reported PTI.
He said the government faced a setback in the Lok Sabha when the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 failed to secure the required two-thirds majority. During voting on April 17, 298 members supported the bill while 230 voted against it.
Constitutional amendments require a higher threshold for passage, leading to the bill's defeat in the Lower House.
Pawar also expressed suspicion about the timing of the proposal, stating that raising the issue at this stage could indicate plans to alter the electoral timeline, reported PTI.
He suggested that the developments in Parliament may point to the possibility of advancing the general elections currently scheduled for 2029, though no official indication has been made by the government on this front.
In addition to national political issues, Pawar also raised concerns about the investigation into the Baramati plane crash, in which Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives on January 28, reported PTI.
He questioned the pace of the probe and asked when the case would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Pawar also sought clarity on why no action had been taken against the aviation firm involved.
He noted that the Maharashtra CID had received the zero FIR registered in Bengaluru and indicated it would conduct an inquiry, but not a full-fledged investigation, reported PTI.
Opposition parties have consistently argued that linking women's reservation to delimitation could adversely affect the representation of southern states. They contend that any restructuring exercise must be handled carefully to maintain the federal balance.
(With inputs from PTI)
