Shashi Tharoor Criticises Government For Linking Delimitation With Women Reservation Bill

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday criticised the BJP-led Union government, alleging that it “purposely linked” the proposed delimitation exercise with the Women’s Reservation Bill, a move he claimed complicated the passage of a key constitutional reform.

His remarks came a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha despite receiving 298 votes in favour and 230 against. While the Bill saw substantial support, it did not meet the constitutional threshold needed for passage.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Tharoor said the Opposition’s primary objection was not to women’s reservation itself but to its linkage with delimitation. He argued that combining the two issues raised broader constitutional and political concerns that required deeper and more extensive debate rather than being addressed within a short parliamentary session.

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Tharoor maintained that the Congress fully supports the idea of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and is willing to pass the measure without delay if it is presented independently. He suggested that the government could reintroduce the Bill in a future session without linking it to delimitation-related provisions.

He further stressed that delimitation is a complex issue with significant implications for India’s federal structure and democratic balance, and therefore should not be bundled with other legislative reforms. According to him, such an approach risked reducing the seriousness of both debates and limiting informed parliamentary scrutiny.

Congress MP Kumari Selja also criticised the government, accusing it of creating confusion around the timing and intent of the legislation. She said the Women’s Reservation Bill had already been passed earlier and questioned the necessity of linking it to other constitutional changes at this stage. Selja alleged that the issue was being used for political positioning rather than genuine reform.

She further argued that the Opposition should not be blamed for delays, stating that it had already supported the women’s reservation proposal. According to her, the focus should remain on implementing the quota without political conditions or procedural complications.

The exchange highlights growing political differences over the structure and implementation of women’s reservation, with parties divided over whether it should be passed independently or tied to broader electoral and constitutional reforms such as delimitation.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor Flags Concerns Over Delimitation Exercise In Parliament Debate