BJP Nagaland Mahila Morcha staged a protest rally in Dimapur against the rejection of women’s reservation and delimitation bills in Parliament.
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DIMAPUR — BJP Nagaland Mahila Morcha held a Jan Akrosh Padyatra at DDSC Stadium, Golaghat Road, in Dimapur on Thursday.
During the rally, participants held placards reading “Same old Congress: Betraying half the population of women” and “Anti-women Congress, shame on you!”, among others.
Addressing the gathering, BJP Nagaland Mahila Morcha President Tsachola Rothrong claimed that confusion surrounding the 33% women’s reservation and delimitation among people was being fuelled by misinformation on social media.
She highlighted the need for public awareness, noting that delimitation, the redrawing of constituencies based on population, is essential for implementing the reservation.
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She pointed out that India’s population has increased from about 54 crore in 1971 to nearly 140 crore today, while Lok Sabha seats have remained at 543 since the delimitation in 1976, leading to disproportionate representation.
Rothrong mentioned that three key bills introduced on April 16, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed to expand Lok Sabha seats to 850 and facilitate the implementation of the 33% reservation for women under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023. She expressed, however, disappointment that the bills did not pass through Parliament.
She explained that as per the law, a population census must first be conducted, followed by delimitation, before the reservation can be implemented. With the census reference date set for March 1, 2027, she said efforts were being made to enable implementation by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
She noted that the process could take several years, potentially delaying implementation until 2034 if not expedited. She further stated that the prime minister had suggested using the 2011 Census to fast-track delimitation, which could be completed within two years, enabling the implementation of the 33% reservation by 2029. However, she added that despite this proposal under the Delimitation Bill 2026, the opposition rejected it.
Using Nagaland as an example, Rothrong pointed out disparities in constituency sizes, stating that some areas have over 75,000 voters per MLA while others have significantly fewer, but the funds remain the same. She called it an imbalance that delimitation seeks to address.
She further clarified that the women’s reservation would be temporary, lasting 15 years or three terms, and would be implemented on a rotational basis across constituencies.
Expressing disappointment over the outcome in Parliament, she said political considerations had delayed women’s political empowerment. She maintained that delimitation and the census are inevitable and urged that future efforts should ensure the implementation of the 33% reservation for women.
Meanwhile, BJP State President Benjamin Yepthomi noted that women constitute about 48% of India’s 140 crore population yet remain under-represented in decision-making. He clarified that under Article 334A, the 33% women’s reservation can only be implemented after delimitation, which has been pending for decades.
He said that the Centre pushed for early implementation to ensure women get their due rights, dismissing claims that it was politically motivated, and urged women to rise above party lines.
At the protest rally, BJP women party workers also spoke, showing resentment over the opposition's rejection of the bills.