The coalition also announced a nationwide program to increase public pressure to immediately meet the quota. | Photo credit: ANI
Women’s organizations and civil society groups under the banner of the National Coalition for Women’s Reservation (NCWR) demanded on Friday (July 10, 2026) that the Center introduce a constitutional amendment bill in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament to separate women’s reservation from the census and delimitation process. They also sought implementation of the 33% reservation in Parliament and state legislatures with the existing composition in the next round of elections.
The coalition also announced a nationwide program to increase public pressure to immediately meet the quota. He said he would organize joint protests across the country on July 20 and 21, followed by daily protests from Monday to Friday during the monsoon session of Parliament at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The groups said similar protest programs would be held in states and districts.
The coalition will also convene a national conference with women MPs, organize webinars to deepen public participation on the issue and launch a sustained social media campaign to mobilize citizens in support of the demand for immediate implementation of women’s reservation.
The Constitution (106th Amendment) Bill, popularly known as the Women’s Reservation Bill or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, was passed in September 2023. The Act provides that 33% reservation for women will come into force only after the first census conducted after the Act comes into force and the subsequent delimitation exercise, with its implementation after the elections to be held after the completion of this process.
On Friday (July 10, 2026), the Coalition issued a public statement demanding the immediate and unconditional implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament and state legislatures. Signatories include women’s rights activists, academics, lawyers, writers, artists, trade unionists, students, former government employees and concerned citizens from all walks of life.
Notable signatories include Sharmila Tagore, Mallika Sarabhai, Zoya Hasan, Jayati Ghosh, Nandini Sundar, Mridula Mukherjee, Chander Uday Singh, Rajeev Bhargava and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.
“It is obvious that the government is using women’s reservation as a cover to push its political agenda of delimiting and increasing the number of seats in the Lok Sabha. This was confirmed in 2026 when the government suddenly convened a special session of Parliament to supposedly pave the way for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies from 2029, but did not separate women’s reservation from a politically contentious issue. The government is paying lip service to pays tribute to ‘Nari Shakti,’ the statement said.
Alleging that the government was using women’s reservations as a means to push through the politically contentious process of delimitation, Anjali Bharadwaj of the Satark Nagrik Sangathan said, “Don’t use us (women) to carry out delimitation.”
Published – Jul 10, 2026 08:32 PM EST.