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A debate over the implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament took centre stage at the We Women Want Conclave, organised by NewsX and Read Foundation, as Jebi Mather, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (INC), and socio-political activist Dr. Teena Sharma differed over the timing of the quota, the role of delimitation and the preparedness of women to enter electoral politics. “We still say, go ahead with women’s reservation,” Mather said, calling for the quota to be implemented without waiting for the Census or delimitation process. Speaking at the session, Mather argued that women’s reservation should not be linked to delimitation and questioned the delay in implementing the provision. She said her party had wanted the reservation to be implemented in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. “Women’s reservation need not be tied with delimitation,” Mather said, questioning why the government could not move ahead with the provision. “What stops BJP from implementing, passing, getting done?” she asked, arguing that repeated emphasis on women’s empowerment should be matched by greater representation in Parliament. “Implement it now. We will support,” Mather said.
Mather also drew on her experience in grassroots politics, saying her political journey began at the local level before she entered Parliament. She recalled contesting local-body elections in 2010, 2015 and 2020, including twice from women-reserved seats. “I am now an MP member of Parliament, but I am from the grassroots,” she said, stressing that women entering Parliament should not merely occupy reserved seats but should be able to independently contribute to policymaking. “We need women who can speak their mind, who have a good educational background, who know what needs to be changed,” Mather said. Sharma, however, challenged the Congress’ claim over the political history of women’s reservation while acknowledging the contribution of Congress governments to the process. “Congress never started women’s reservation,” Sharma said, shifting the discussion towards the broader question of representation in Parliament. She argued that increasing women’s representation would also require addressing the limited number of seats in the legislature.