Opinion: Women's Quota Takes Centrestage in Bengal As Voting Day Approaches

The article notes Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing opposition parties of foeticide for opposing a constitutional effort to fast-track women's reservation, while Mamata Banerjee counters with a focus on women’s empowerment and padayatras with women leaders. Banerjee reiterates support for reservation in principle but argues for a 50 percent quota and highlights her government's past reservations and women MPs. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar supports the higher share, and the piece references 2023 support for the amendment, opposition unity on the framing, and reactions from Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Chidambaram. The piece frames the debate as a tit-for-tat political contest surrounding the reservation issue ahead of state elections.

The bill failed to pass Parliament with a vote of 298 in favor to 230 against. Banerjee argued that the Centre had linked women's reservation with delimitation to increase Lok Sabha seats, a move she described as a 'disguise' that could upset federal balance.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was introduced in Parliament in April 2026. The Trinamool Congress voted against it, signaling a shift from its earlier support for the underlying concept and raising questions about timing and motive.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Trinamool Congress won 11 women MPs out of 29 (about 38%), well above the national average of around 14%. The party highlighted flagship women-centric schemes such as Kanyashree, Rupashree, and Lakshmir Bhandar as evidence of its governance focus on women.

The Women's Reservation Bill was passed in Parliament with a large majority (454-2). The Trinamool Congress supported the bill but raised two concerns: the absence of a sub-quota for OBC women and the delay in implementation linked to census and delimitation processes; two AIUML MPs dissented.