Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made an emotional appeal to Members of Parliament to support the amended Women’s Reservation Bill, urging lawmakers to back the legislation as it came up for voting in the Lok Sabha later in the day.

In a message posted on social media, the Prime Minister said all concerns around the bill had been addressed and appealed to MPs to vote in favour of the proposal, saying “the eyes of the country’s millions of women are upon us.”

The appeal came amid intense political debate over the government’s plan to implement 33 per cent reservation for women through an amended law linked to the contentious delimitation process.

PM Modi Urges MPs to Support Women’s Reservation

Making a direct appeal to parliamentarians, PM Modi said that women in India have waited too long for fair representation in the country’s decision-making institutions.

He said it was unacceptable that women still have limited participation in legislatures even after decades of independence and urged MPs to act with “sensitivity” while voting.

In a strongly worded message, the Prime Minister also asked MPs to think of the women in their own families before making their decision, calling the vote a historic opportunity to empower women across the country.

Government Seeks Support for Amended Bill

The government is pushing amendments to operationalise the Women’s Reservation Act, which was passed in 2023 but linked implementation to the next Census and delimitation exercise.

Since the ruling alliance does not have the required two-thirds majority on its own for constitutional amendments, the government is seeking wider political support to ensure the bill is passed.

The amended proposal aims to make the reservation effective in time for the 2029 general elections, but opposition parties have raised objections to the way the delimitation process is being structured.

Opposition Alleges Women’s Quota Is Being Used as a ‘Smokescreen’

Opposition parties, especially from the southern states, have accused the Centre of using women’s reservation as political cover for a delimitation exercise they say could unfairly alter the balance of parliamentary representation.

Their concern is that if delimitation is based purely on population figures, southern states that successfully controlled population growth may lose their share of Lok Sabha seats in the future.

Although the government has reportedly assured that all states will get a 50 per cent increase in seats without changing proportional shares, opposition leaders say that assurance is not written into law.

Shashi Tharoor Warns of ‘Political Demonetisation’

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, speaking in the Lok Sabha during the debate, warned that rushing the delimitation process could create political instability.

He compared the move to the government’s 2016 demonetisation decision, saying that just as demonetisation caused disruption, hurried delimitation could create what he called “political demonetisation.”

Tharoor urged the government not to link women’s reservation with such a sensitive political exercise, arguing that the quota for women should be implemented immediately without delay.

Crucial Vote Seen as Major Political Test

The Lok Sabha vote on the amended bill is being seen as a major political test for the government, both on women’s representation and on the broader question of parliamentary seat redistribution.

While the government has framed the amendment as a step toward women’s empowerment, the opposition insists the linked delimitation exercise could have long-term political consequences.