In a scathing op-ed published in The Hindu, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has accused the Centre of using a “special session” of Parliament as a smokescreen to “bulldoze” dangerous constitutional changes regarding delimitation.
Gandhi argues that while the government is framing the session around the Women’s Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), the true intent is to gain political leverage while avoiding scrutiny during the height of election campaigns in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
The Core Conflict: Timing and Tactics
Gandhi questioned the “extraordinary hurry” to convene the session on April 16, 2026, rather than waiting for the Monsoon Session in July.
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The “Bulldoze” Strategy: She alleges the PM wants to pass legislation while Opposition leaders are occupied with state election campaigns.
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The Census Delay: Gandhi highlighted that the government delayed the 2021 Census by five years, depriving 10 crore people of food security entitlements.
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The “U-Turn”: She questioned why the PM took 30 months to delink the Women’s Reservation Bill from the upcoming Census—a move the Opposition had demanded back in 2023.
Why Delimitation is the “Real Danger”
The most significant concern raised by Gandhi involves the delimitation exercise (the redrawing of constituency boundaries). According to Gandhi, any plan based on “unofficial information” currently circulating is an “assault on the Constitution.”
Key Concerns for States:
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Equity: She warned that delimitation must be politically equitable, not just arithmetically based on population.
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Penalizing Success: States that pioneered family planning (largely in the South) could see a loss of relative influence if Lok Sabha seats are increased purely based on current population numbers.
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Smaller States: Fear that a proportionate increase in seats would leave smaller states at an absolute disadvantage.
Comparison of Perspectives
| Feature | Government Position (PM Modi) | Opposition Position (Sonia Gandhi) |
| Primary Goal | Implementing Women’s Reservation for the 2029 polls. | Pushing through a “dangerous” delimitation formula. |
| Women’s Bill | A milestone for democracy and “Nari Shakti.” | A settled issue used here for “narrative management.” |
| Caste Census | Claims it would further delay the 2027 Census. | Accused of trying to “delay and derail” the caste census. |
| Approach | Seeking consensus through appeals and sammelans. | Described as “underhand,” “anti-democratic,” and “my way or the highway.” |
Demand for Transparency
Despite the session starting in three days, Gandhi noted that no official proposal has been shared with Members of Parliament. She concluded by calling for the session to be postponed until after April 29 (following the West Bengal elections) to allow for an all-party meeting and public debate on the far-reaching changes to India’s polity.
