‘Why govt in a hurry to amend women’s quota law’

New Delhi: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, asking why the government was in a “great hurry” to amend the women’s quota law.

In his letter to Rijiju, Kharge also reiterated that an all-party meeting should be held on the matter after the current round of Assembly elections is completed in April.

Kharge’s letter came in response to one from the Union minister to the Congress chief seeking a meeting with the party on plans to amend the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, for its implementation.

“I have just received your letter on 26th March 2026. Opposition parties have already written to you on 24th March 2026, suggesting that an all-party meeting be held after April 29th, 2026, to discuss the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023,” the Congress president said.

“I simply fail to understand why the government is in such great hurry to further amend a Constitutional Amendment Act, 30 months after it was initially passed. We are all extremely busy with the election campaign. That is the reason why we had suggested that the meeting be held after the election campaign is over,” Kharge said.

This will, in no way, affect the implementation of the amended Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, from the 2029 Lok Sabha election onwards, he said.

“In fact, on 21st September, 2023, during the debate in the Rajya Sabha, I had myself demanded the immediate implementation of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, but the government had not agreed with my demand. I once again request you to convene an all-party meeting any time after April 29, 2026,” Kharge said.

Several Opposition parties on Tuesday wrote to the government, asking for an all-party meeting to be convened to discuss the modalities of

the implementation of the women’s quota law.