Spokesperson: Shri Rajendra Pal Gautam: SC Department Chairman Shri Rajendra Pal Gautam and OBC Department Chairman Anil Jaihind said that the issue of women’s reservation was “settled” legislatively, but concerns remained over its execution and representation.

They said that the Centre was attempting to alter the implementation framework of the Women’s Reservation law by proposing reliance on 2011 Census data instead of updated figures. They cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed unanimously in 2023, and referred to Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s position that the focus should now be on implementation.

The leaders maintained that the government had earlier outlined a roadmap linking implementation of women’s reservation to the 2027 Census and subsequent delimitation, but was now considering using 2011 Census data.

Calling the move “illogical”, Shri Jaihind argued that demographic changes over time necessitate updated data for policymaking, especially in representation-linked measures like delimitation and reservation.

They said that reliance on outdated data could dilute pressure for proportionate representation of OBC women. They said that without caste-wise data, the policy would remain “incomplete” and could exclude large sections of women from weaker sections. Wednesday, April 15, 2026