Prioritise National Interest Over Partisan Positions: Social Activist Ranjana Kumari To Political Parties On Women's Quota
The CSR Director termed the Women's Reservation Bill a "historic moment" for India, saying it's high time to deliver justice to women, reports Santu Das.
Published : April 14, 2026 at 3:19 PM IST
New Delhi: Social activist and Director of Centre for Social Research (CSR), Ranjana Kumari on Tuesday backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's step for amending the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, in the upcoming three-day special session of the Parliament, and called upon all political parties to prioritise national interest over "partisan positions".
Asserting that women of India have waited long enough, she said it is high time justice was delivered to women. Kumari's remarks came in the wake of criticism from the Opposition against the ruling dispensation to convene a special session of Parliament in the midst of Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The Opposition parties including Congress have opined that the issue is not related to the women's reservation, as that has been already settled, but rather pertains to delimitation.
Addressing a presser at the Press Club of India here, Kumari, who is also the Chairperson of Women Power Connect said, "The enactment of the Women's Reservation Bill, providing 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, marks a historic step toward correcting India's long-standing democratic deficit in political representation. After nearly three decades of sustained advocacy by women's movements and civil society, the moment has arrived to translate legislative intent into meaningful action."
"Women of India have waited long enough. It is high time to deliver justice to them," she said.
Kumari has urged all political parties, across ideological lines, to rise above partisan considerations and ensure the timely and effective implementation of this "landmark reform" in the forthcoming special session of the Parliament.
"To ensure its effective implementation, we call upon all political parties to build cross-party consensus on implementation in 2029, prioritise national interest over partisan positions and support timely operationalisation in the upcoming Special Session. We should ensure women's political inclusion becomes a structural reality, not a deferred commitment," she said.
History Of The Bill
Giving a precise history of the Women's Reservation Bill, she said, "The demand for women's reservation in legislatures has been one of India's longest-running democratic struggles. In 1996, first it was introduced as the 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill under the (HD) Deve Gowda government, but lapsed due to lack of consensus. In between 1998-2004, it was Reintroduced multiple times under the (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee government, but continued to face political resistance."
Referring to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, she said, "In 2010, it was Passed in the Rajya Sabha, but never tabled in the Lok Sabha. It lapsed in 2014."
The social activist said in 2023 it was Passed as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act with near-unanimous support in both Houses under the ruling BJP.
"An important consideration over the years has been the need to address patterns of underrepresentation among women from SC, ST, and OBC communities. Ensuring that the benefits of reservation are equitably distributed remains essential for broad-based and inclusive political participation," she said.
Pointing out that women remain significantly underrepresented in India's highest decision-making bodies, with representation in the Lok Sabha at approximately 14 percent, far below the global average (27.2 percent), she said this reform is not merely about reservation it is about strengthening democratic legitimacy by making governance more inclusive, representative, and accountable.
Kumari further said effective implementation of the Act rests on several interconnected foundations.
She added institutional support must go beyond formal reservations to actively build capacity for first-time women legislators, ensuring they can govern effectively from day one.
Asked about the Opposition parties questioning the timing of this move when Assembly elections are underway, Kumari said, "This is justice for women of India after almost several decades of independence. Timing is always right to give justice to women."
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