Uddhav Thackeray seeks immediate rollout of women’s reservation, says hold delimitation

Amid the ongoing political uproar surrounding the Womenrsquos Reservation Bill Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reiterated his partyrsquos clear and firm position advocating for the immediate implementation of the legislationThackeray emphasised that the Womenrsquos Reservation Bill had already been passed by Parliament in 2023 and therefore there should be no further delay in enforcing the provision of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodiesDemand for Immediate Rollout of 33 per cent ReservationHighlighting the urgency of the issue Thackeray stated that the intent behind passing the bill must now translate into action He underscored that womenrsquos representation in governance cannot be postponed any longer and called for swift execution of the constitutional mandateldquoThe bill has already been approved Accordingly 33 per cent reservation for women should be implemented immediatelyrdquo he assertedDelimitation Issue Should Be Put on HoldAddressing the contentious issue of constituency delimitation Thackeray urged that the matter be temporarily set aside He described delimitation as a complex and farreaching national issue that requires deeper deliberationAccording to him linking the implementation of womenrsquos reservation with delimitation could unnecessarily delay a crucial reform aimed at enhancing womenrsquos political participationlsquoNationrsquos Future Above Political InterestsrsquoThackeray further stressed that the issue should not be viewed through the lens of partisan politics He maintained that the broader national interest must take precedence over the political future of any individual partyldquoThis is not about the political future of any one party but about the future of the countryrdquo he said adding that the delimitation process demands extensive discussion and research before any decisions are madeCall for Wider Consultation on DelimitationReiterating the need for a balanced approach the Shiv Sena UBT leader called for comprehensive consultations and studies on delimitation given its potential implications on national unity and representationA special threeday sitting of Parliament will be held from April 16 to 18 during which amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam commonly known as the Womens Reservation Act mandating 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies will be brought for implementation in 2029The amendments also seek to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850 from the current 543 to operationalise the womens reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls following a delimitation exercise to be carried out based on the last published census