Guwahati : The Assam Legislative Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution seeking implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and all State Legislative Assemblies following the completion of the delimitation exercise, amid heated exchanges and a walkout by Opposition members.

The resolution was moved by Assam Women and Child Development Minister Ajanta Neog during the ongoing Assembly session.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the main legislation regarding women’s reservation clearly provides that the quota would come into effect only after the Census and the subsequent delimitation process.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill aimed at operationalising 33 per cent reservation for women before 2029 was introduced in Parliament, but alleged that the Congress did not support the move.

“By adopting this resolution, we are requesting Parliament to ensure that reservation for women comes into effect immediately,” Sarma said in the House. The Assembly proceedings witnessed sharp exchanges between treasury bench members and Opposition MLAs over alleged remarks made by BJP legislator Bhuban Pegu during the debate.

Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi protested in the well of the House over the remarks, while Opposition members later staged a walkout. However, TMC MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed and AIUDF MLA Mazibur Rahman did not join the protest.

The Opposition members were absent during the Chief Minister’s speech but several later returned to the House after his address concluded. During the discussion, Opposition legislators maintained that they supported women’s reservation but opposed linking its implementation to the delimitation process, demanding that the reservation be enforced immediately.

Congress MLA Zakir Hussain Sikdar said the party has consistently supported women’s empowerment, highlighting that India’s first woman Prime Minister, woman President and woman Lok Sabha Speaker emerged during Congress rule.

Akhil Gogoi argued that since women constitute nearly half the state’s population, there should be 50 per cent reservation for women and that it should be implemented without waiting for delimitation.

First-time MLAs Rupali Langthasa, Seuli Basumatary and Nilima Devi also stressed the importance of women’s reservation in Parliament and State Assemblies and appealed for support to the resolution. Speaking to reporters after the walkout, Zakir Hussain Sikdar alleged that Bhuban Pegu had described Opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as “anti-constitutional.”

Sikdar claimed the Opposition had requested the Speaker to expunge the remarks from Assembly records, but the request was not accepted. “The conduct of Bhuban Pegu during the discussion itself was unconstitutional. He should have been suspended from the Assembly, but instead the Speaker made an objectionable statement. In protest against this, we staged a walkout,” Sikdar said.

Responding to the controversy, the Chief Minister said that while it was inappropriate if Pegu had pointed fingers at the Opposition, it was equally improper for members to point fingers at the Speaker, which he termed even more offensive. Several MLAs from both treasury and Opposition benches participated in the discussion before the resolution was adopted by the House.