As expected, the constitutional amendment regarding the new version of the Women's Reservation Bill linked with the delimitation matter, sought to be passed by the Union government in the Lok Sabha, was defeated decisively on Friday, thereby reminding the Sangh Parivar, that it could not push through any legislation without adequate consultations.

The politically inspired initiative has resulted in an avoidable setback for the ruling dispensation, which is now trying to portray the issue as the reluctance of the Opposition to support Women's reservation. It is also for the first time in 12 years that a major legislation bill moved by the current government has not gone through, thus implying wide ramifications that could follow.

The Bill also united a divided Opposition and ensured that the Constitutional amendment could not be carried through. The developments could have also triggered a power game within the Sangh Parivar as well. Subsequent events could reflect that. The point remains that when the treasury benches were aware that the numbers for the Constitution amendment were not there, why was this exercise undertaken which has led to unnecessary embarrassment?

The introduction of the Bill during a special session, in the midst of the ongoing Assembly polls, also raised many eyebrows, and opposition leaders were quick to question the motive of the objective. Their plea was that if the government was so keen for women's reservation, why did it not bring it immediately since the Bill had been passed in 2023 and after the ratification by the President, had become the law?

Curiously, even before the voting took place, the Centre, notified the 2023 law. The government could have brought in 33% reservation in the present strength of the Lok Sabha, thereby earmarking 181 seats for women, for the 2029 Parliamentary polls. which some feel could be held earlier.

Some political analysts are of the view that the BJP perhaps thought that by bringing in this legislation, it could influence the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal elections, something which is unlikely to happen. As things stand and as per the ground reports, the current round of Assembly polls, were not likely to bring in any good news for the Sangh Parivar, and there could be even surprises in the final outcome in Assam, where the BJP has been in power for many years.

The Women's reservation issue has somehow been jinxed. Barring 2023, when it was passed unanimously, it has not found support within Parliament. The first champion of the law was the late Gita Mukherjee of the CPI but she could not do anything. The issue came alive when Congress Rajya Sabha MP, the late Veena Verma, moved a private-members bill around 30 years ago but to no avail. The most meaningful discussion on the matter was in 2010 but despite wide consultations, it could not be carried through. In 2023 there was unanimity but the government for reasons best known to it delayed the implementation. Now the Bill, since it was linked to the delimitation exercise, was unable to get the support of the required number. It is important to understand that there were multiple reasons why the government's delimitation bid carried out in a hurry did not get the Opposition's endorsement. There were no consultations and the matter created apprehensions, right or wrong, in the minds of southern states, that their position was being undermined vis-à-vis the northern states, particularly those of the Hindi heartland. The mistrust was so huge that it strengthened the resolve of the Opposition further to ensure that the Constitutional amendment was stalled in the House itself. The government's approach appeared ad hoc and lacked clarity, which was needed for such a legislation. There was realization within the treasury benches as well, that this was not going to succeed and hence the protest with BJP women MPs, armed with pre-designed placards, explains a lot of things.