‘Opposition has once again insulted women’: Tripura CM on stalled reservation bill

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has accused opposition parties of blocking a key reform on women’s political representation, saying their resistance to the Women’s Reservation Bill delayed a long-pending measure aimed at empowerment.

Addressing a press conference at the state BJP office, Saha said the opposition’s stand reflected “self-centred politics” and alleged that the INDIA alliance had obstructed a significant legislative step.

“But the Indi Alliance or the opposition has once again insulted women and deprived the entire nation because they are desperate to protect their political land. They only believe in self-centred politics,” he said.

Saha described the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a “revolutionary chapter” in Indian democracy. The law proposes 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

“I think it is a revolutionary chapter in the history of Indian democracy… Its main objective is to ensure that women get 33% reservation,” he said, adding that the move would not only secure women’s rights but also encourage “women-led development”.

The chief minister noted that the legislation, passed during a special session in September 2023 at the new Parliament building, marked the culmination of a decades-long demand. He traced its origins to 1996 under former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda, followed by repeated but unsuccessful attempts during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The bill later cleared the Rajya Sabha in 2010 under Manmohan Singh, but failed to pass the Lok Sabha at the time.

According to Saha, the 2023 legislation ensures one-third reservation across general and SC/ST constituencies, with seats to be rotated after each delimitation cycle. The provision is set for 15 years, with scope for extension by Parliament. It will apply only to directly elected members and excludes the Rajya Sabha.

He also said the law links implementation to the completion of the national census, which could delay its rollout. “It cannot be implemented until the census is completed because the census process is currently underway… we will have to wait for many more years,” he said.

Saha added that the bill was reintroduced in April 2026 to facilitate implementation ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, but alleged that opposition parties prevented its passage despite detailed discussions.

Criticising opposition groups including Congress and Left parties, the chief minister said women, who constitute a majority of the population, had been deprived due to the delay. He reiterated that the Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remained committed to women’s welfare.

Industries and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma and MLAs Mina Rani Sarkar and Antara Dev Sarkar were present at the briefing.