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SP, NDA trade barbs in Uttar Pradesh Council over women's reservation and empowerment
The special session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council featured a sharp exchange between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the ruling NDA over women's empowerment and the Women's Reservation Bill. The NDA cited local-body resolutions in support, while the SP argued it sought only sub-quotas for OBC and minority women. The session concluded with a censure motion against opponents and tributes to former members, followed by adjournment sine die.
Why It Matters
The debate centers on policy changes affecting women's representation and empowerment, with potential political implications for UP and national discussions on the bill.
Timeline
6 Events
NDA and SP members cited as participants in the debate
April 29, 2026
NDA participants included Bhupendra Chaudhary, Sanjay Nishad, Narendra Kashyap, Ashish Patel, Pratibha Shukla, Pragya Tripathi, Rama Niranjan, Vandana Verma, Devendra Pratap Singh, Rajni Tiwari, Vijay Laxmi Gautam, Hari Singh Dhillon, Dhruv Tripathi, Ashok Katariya, Santosh Singh and Yogesh Chaudhary; Dhruv Tripathi, representing the teachers' group, also backed the NDA. SP participants included Lal Bihari Yadav, Rajendra Chaudhary, Man Pal Yadav and Ashutosh Sinha.
Tributes to former members and adjournment sine die
April 29, 2026
Tributes were paid to former members Mahendra Yadav and Begum Mohsina Khaleel Kidwai, after which the House was adjourned sine die.
Censure motion condemning opposition's conduct adopted by voice vote
April 29, 2026
The House adopted, by voice vote, a censure motion moved by the Leader of the House condemning the conduct of those opposing women’s empowerment.
Post-lunch debate underlines NDA resolve to push legislation
April 29, 2026
After lunch, members across parties participated in the debate. The NDA asserted its resolve to push the legislation forward, saying the government does not step back once it takes a step.
Maurya presents data on local-body resolutions in favor of the bill
April 29, 2026
Keshav Prasad Maurya informed the House that 78% of village panchayats (44,968 of 56,994) had passed resolutions in favour of the Women's Reservation Bill, 81% of Kshetra Panchayats (671 of 826), and 63 of the 75 Zila Panchayats in the state had done so; data from urban local bodies was awaited.
Special session opens amid debate on women's reservation and empowerment
April 29, 2026
The special session opened with a sharp exchange between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the ruling NDA over women's empowerment and the Women's Reservation Bill. The treasury benches accused the Opposition of trying to defeat the bill in Parliament, while the SP countered that it had only sought sub-quotas for OBC and minority women.