Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 15 : Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday said the government must implement a 33% reservation for women in Parliament, adding that the INDIA bloc has never demanded that the delimitation exercise be linked to it.
Sule said her party, NCP(SP), has not held any discussions with anyone regarding the delimitation exercise.
Addressing a press conference, she said, "We have neither held discussions with anyone regarding delimitation, nor has anyone approached us about it. We will formulate our stance once the bill is introduced."
Baramati MP added that a decision on any such legislation will be taken after discussion with the INDIA bloc.
"However, we will discuss any upcoming bill in detail within the INDIA alliance. Earlier parties like the DMK, SP, and ourselves had stated that we would consider the 50% quota issue. The INDIA alliance never demand the delimitation; we demand that 33% reservation for women should be implemented," she said.
NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule also mentioned that earlier a letter was sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the government must invite all INDIA bloc parties together at once for any discussions on such a bill rather than inviting them individually.
"During the previous Budget Session, Kiren Rijiju had invited Asaduddin Owaisi, me, and Arvind Sawant. He was inviting parties individually, and we met with the country's Home Minister, Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju. Under Mallikarjun Kharge's leadership, we wrote to Amit Shah requesting that they invite us all together," Supriya Sule said.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to pass the Lok Sabha floor test on April 17, 2026. The bill, which aimed to expand parliamentary seats and fast-track the 33% women's reservation, received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling significantly short of the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of members present and voting.
Dismissing reports of a rift in the NCP (SP) camp, she said, "All 8 MPs of NCP SP and all our MLAs, we stick together. The NCP is a party where Sharad Pawar not only leads it, but he invests in everybody, and he listens."
The Monsoon Session of Parliament will be held from July 20 to August 13, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.