New Delhi, April 2 – The Rajya Sabha witnessed a heated debate on Thursday as the government pushed forward key legislative business, drawing strong criticism from the Congress party, who argued that the ruling dispensation was prioritizing political gains over proper parliamentary procedure ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
During the discussion on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to formally recognize Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, Congress leader and MP Jairam Ramesh raised concerns.
Addressing the Chairman, Ramesh pointed out that no satisfactory response had been provided to his earlier questions regarding the agenda for the day's session.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, clarified the schedule, stating that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill would be taken up first, followed by the pending Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, which had already been passed by the Lok Sabha.
Rijiju also informed the House that the government might consider adjourning the session briefly to address additional matters.
Jairam Ramesh strongly criticized the government's approach. "The government has a clear objective of passing these bills before the upcoming state assembly elections," he said, alleging that the move aimed to gain political advantage by violating the Model Code of Conduct, which is in effect in states with upcoming elections.
The Andhra Pradesh Bill, already passed by the Lok Sabha on April 1, aims to provide legal backing to Amaravati as the state's only capital, resolving uncertainty about the capital issue since the 2014 bifurcation.
The Jan Vishwas Bill seeks to decriminalize minor offenses across various laws to promote ease of doing business and simplify daily life.
Opposition members expressed concern about the rushed legislative calendar. Ramesh noted that the government appeared determined to pass important bills without adequate deliberation, especially considering that several states, including Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, are heading for state assembly elections in April-May 2026.
Rijiju defended the government's position, stating that the Andhra Pradesh Bill was being taken up as an urgent matter and that the House functions according to established rules and procedures, not political allegations.
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, sharply criticized the Central government for showing undue "urgency" in amending the Women's Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), alleging that the move was a calculated attempt to gain political credit before the ongoing state assembly elections.
While reaffirming that the Congress had originally introduced the women's reservation bill and continues to support it in principle, Kharge said the current rush to amend the Constitutional Amendment Act -- passed 30 months ago -- appeared politically motivated. "The government has a clear objective of passing these bills before the upcoming state assembly elections," he remarked, questioning why the Centre was in such a hurry when any delay would not affect the law's implementation, which is scheduled for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Kharge reiterated his demand for an all-party meeting to discuss the modalities and implementation framework of the women's reservation law, but insisted that it should be held only after April 29, 2026, once the election campaigns in the poll-bound states conclude.
“We are all extremely busy with the election campaign. That is the reason why we had suggested that the meeting be held after the campaign is over,” he said.
He also recalled that during the debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2023, he himself had demanded its immediate implementation, but the government had not agreed at that time.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, responded by stating that the government had forwarded a "very simple proposal" for amendments and that no one, including Congress members, was opposing the substance of it.
"Why does Congress not come forward to meet or oppose a session? We have already met 80 per cent of political parties; the remaining parties will be met soon. Let’s not get into politics,” Rijiju said.
Kharge shot back, asserting, “We will meet after the Assembly elections are over. Do not take credit before the elections.”
Leader of Rajya Sabha, J.P. Nadda, suggested that the focus should be on the "Viksit Bharat" angle rather than politics when considering the passage of the bill. He said, “PM Modi’s government has passed the bill in two days, which was stuck for 30 years without passing.”
He said the aim of the government was to bring women to 50 per cent of the House capacity.
Kharge said the government remembered the bill all of a sudden, after three months. He added that not everything will happen as per the BJP government's wishes in a democracy. He said the BJP MPs will listen only to PM Modi, not even to the Chairman of the House.
The exchange highlighted the growing tussle between the government and the opposition over the timing and process of finalizing the implementation roadmap for the landmark 33 per cent women’s reservation in Parliament and State Assemblies.
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed unanimously in 2023, is yet to be notified due to pending delimitation exercises linked to the next census. The government is reportedly exploring constitutional amendments to enable the quota to become effective from the 2029 general elections.
