Women’s reservation to be given after census, delimitation exercise: Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman issued a clarification on the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill saying that whenever the first census takes place and the relevant figures are out, a delimitation exercise shall be undertaken and subsequently, the reservation will be provided.
Sitharaman was speaking in Rajya Sabha on the Women’s Reservation Bill.
“As far as the implementation of the proposed reservation for women is concerned, a new article 334-A is inserted into the constitution. It intends that after the Bill is enacted and after the Bill comes into operation, whenever the first census takes place and the relevant figures for that census are published, a fresh delimitation exercise shall be undertaken for providing the reservation,” Sitharaman said.
Amid the allegation from the opposition leaders that the Centre has brought this legislation for their own political gains as the country is set to enter the election mode. Sitharaman said that her government does not play politics in women-related matters.
“In women-related matters…we do not play any politics. It is an article of faith for the Prime Minister and therefore we do everything that we have done whether it is Article 370, triple talaq, or now the Women’s Reservation Bill,” said Nirmala Sitharaman. FM Sitharaman praised former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s government for implementing 33 per cent reservation in the Panchayati Raj. “I want to credit former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s govt for having brought in 33 per cent reservation in the panchayat raj at that time. As a result, we have seen a groundswell at the panchayat level, where 33 pc reservation today, by many states it has been increased to 50 per cent…showing the contribution of women at the panchayat level,” said Sitharaman.