NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi will address eminent personalities and women achievers from different sectors on Monday as he steps up his direct outreach to people to build support for bills proposing the implementation of women’s quota in legislatures from 2029, amid critical voices from the opposition, especially over the likely delimitation exercise. An official statement described the programme as “Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan”, similar to the women’s quota law passed in 2023 named ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’. The bills, which Parliament is expected to take up on April 16 during a special sitting, propose to fix the implementation of the law, which provides for reservation of one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and assemblies, from the 2029 national elections. “The programme will witness participation of eminent personalities and women achievers from diverse fields. It will bring together representatives from different sectors such as govt, academia, science, sports, entrepreneurship, media, social work and culture,” the statement said. With a united opposition in a position to deny govt the two-third majority needed for the passage of the constitutional amendment bill, especially in Lok Sabha, Modi has turned to mobilising public support to raise political cost for his rivals in case they turn against the move. He has spoken about the women’s quota bill in his recent political rallies as well.
