By Karunesh Kumar

New Delhi [India], April 12 (ANI): On a day celebrating fitness and national progress, 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Pinki Jangra threw her weight behind the government's latest push for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, framing it as a knockout blow for gender inequality.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 'Fit India Sundays on Cycle' event, the veteran boxer linked India's soaring success in the ring to the potential of women in Parliament, asserting that 'equality and opportunity' are the twin engines of national empowerment.

'It has always been about equality. Now we see in many fields that women are being brought forward a lot. That is good for all the women because they are getting encouragement, and they are getting chances. Obviously, there is calibre in everyone. So if someone is given a chance to express themself they will try very hard to come up in any field, this is good for women empowerment,' Jangra told ANI.

The government aims to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, also called the Women's Reservation Bill, which aims to delink quotas for women from the delimitation process. Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in 2023.

A separate Delimitation Bill will be introduced. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation. The new Lok Sabha is likely to have more than 800 seats.

The Parliament is set to meet for a three-day special session from April 16, with a focus on the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill. The Government has planned two major amendments. 2023's Nari Shakti Vandan Act ties women's reservation to the new census and delimitation.

Due to census delays, the plan is to proceed with the 2011 census data. The 2011 census is to be the basis for delimitation and seat redistribution. Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 post-amendment.

A bill will be introduced in Parliament to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. A separate Delimitation Bill will be introduced. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation.

The new Lok Sabha is likely to have more than 800 seats. Keeping up with the status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation, and SC/ST reservation will continue. However, states won't have a role; the bill passed by Parliament will apply to them.

Currently, the Lok Sabha has 543 seats. With a proposed 50% increase, the number of seats will rise to 816, with 273 (about a third) reserved for women.

Jangra pointed to the recent Asian Boxing Championships 2026 as proof of what happens when women are given a platform. India finished second in the overall standings with 16 medals, but the women's team topped their specific chart with a historic haul of 4 Gold medals, 2 Silver medals and 4 Bronze medals.

'India's boxing is at a very good level, and we are doing very well. Recently, we performed very well in the Asian Champions. We have given such a good performance with multiple medals. So I feel India's boxing future is very bright,' she added.

As the April 16 session approaches, the focus remains on whether the two required Constitutional amendments will pass smoothly. If successful, the move would not only reshape the physical layout of the Indian Parliament but fundamentally alter the gender landscape of Indian democracy--a change Jangra believes is long overdue. (ANI)