Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted the timing of the session, set to commence on April 16, which he pointed out coincides with the height of campaigning in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
“The special session of Parliament will start the day after tomorrow, on April 16, when the election campaigning in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will peak,” he posted on X.
Ramesh further claimed that, despite numerous requests, the government has not convened an all-party meeting post-elections for broader discussions on the proposed legislation. He also stated that, as of now, Members of Parliament have not received copies of the Constitution Amendment Bill(s) expected to be presented.
“The Modi Government has dismissed the Opposition’s reasonable and legitimate requests to arrange an All-Party meeting after the elections are concluded (15 days from today). Up until this morning, the Modi Government has NOT shared with MPs the Constitution Amendment Bill(s) they are intended to debate and vote on,” he wrote.
Labeling the action a ‘complete mockery of democracy,’ Ramesh criticized the Centre for operating with a “bulldozer mentality of the PM – who claimed he was non-biological and now asserts he is a non-grihasthi.”
The special session of Parliament will begin day after tomorrow on April 16th – when the election campaign in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will be at its peak. The Modi Govt has rejected the Opposition’s perfectly reasonable and legitimate requests to convene an All-Party meeting…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 14, 2026
These comments come as the Opposition pushes for discussions on the Women’s Reservation Bill, officially known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. On Monday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge declared that the party will hold a meeting of Opposition parties on April 15 to discuss the matter.
Kharge emphasized that Congress fully supports the legislation that ensures one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies but criticized the Union government for its apparent reluctance to converse with other political parties.
“If they invite all parties for discussions, we can participate and share our suggestions. But they are unwilling to call an all-party meeting. That’s why we are reconvening an all (opposition) party meeting. Whatever decisions we arrive at will be communicated,” Kharge stated.
The Women’s Reservation Bill establishes a 33% quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, and it was approved by Parliament in 2023. A new proposal aims to expedite its implementation by disassociating it from the 2027 Census, opting instead for 2011 Census data. This adjustment could facilitate its rollout ahead of the 2029 general elections.
