PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The failure of the Women’s Reservation Bill to clear Parliament has triggered concern among women’s groups and professionals in Dehradun, with many calling the delay a setback for long-awaited political representation reforms.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill 2026, which proposes 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, fell short of the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment. The proposal is linked to delimitation, meaning implementation would follow a future redrawing of parliamentary constituencies. Opposition parties have objected to this sequencing, arguing that delimitation should not proceed until the ongoing national census is completed and its data fully processed. The census, launched this month, is expected to take at least a year, with final outputs likely to take longer.
In Dehradun, activist Mamta Pangti said that the outcome has reduced the hope many women had placed in the reform. “This should not have been delayed in the first place. Women’s representation is not something that can be kept pending indefinitely,” she said.
The founder president of the Uttaranchal Mahila Association Sadhna Sharma stated that the debate has exposed a gap between political messaging and action. “Every party talks about empowering women, but when it comes to giving them space in decision-making, progress is slow,” she said. Reservation alone would not be enough unless backed by wider social and institutional change, she added.
Advocate Sudarshana Chettri described the development as disappointing but not surprising, saying that representation in Parliament remains heavily skewed. “Real empowerment will come only when women are part of decision-making, not just symbolic participation,” she said.
Most women opined that while support for women’s reservation remains strong, the delay has again raised questions over political will and the timeline for implementation. At present, women hold about 13.6 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha. India already provides 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, but no such quota exists at the national level. Several countries in the region, including Nepal and Bangladesh, have adopted legislative quotas for women in Parliament.
