Congress demands all-party talks on delimitation, women's reservation

The Congress party has sought government intervention to facilitate multi-party discussions on the contentious delimitation issue, signalling growing concern within opposition ranks over potential changes to electoral boundaries. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge underscored the need for consensus-building on the matter, advocating for broad-based political dialogue before any substantive action is taken.

Kharge firmly reiterated the Congress's long-standing position that the Lok Sabha strength should remain fixed at 543 seats, opposing any proposals that would increase parliamentary representation. The party views maintaining the current strength as fundamental to preserving the constitutional balance of India's legislative architecture.

Concurrently, the Congress renewed its push for implementing women's reservation in legislatures, making it a key demand for the upcoming 2029 electoral cycle. The party has consistently championed gender-based reservation as essential for improving women's political participation and representation at all levels of governance.

The Congress's move reflects broader opposition concerns about proposed delimitation exercises and underscores the party's commitment to ensuring that electoral and constitutional reforms proceed through inclusive dialogue rather than unilateral government action. Political observers suggest the push for an all-party meeting could gain significance if other opposition parties throw their weight behind the proposal.