After meeting PM Modi, Sukhbir Singh Badal’s SAD backs women’s quota, delimitation bills

The Shiromani Akali Dal demanded the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said in a post on X.

A day after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the party’s support for the Women’s Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill.

The Shiromani Akali Dal, at a meeting of its senior leaders in Chandigarh on Saturday, demanded the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said in a post on X.

“The Shiromani Akali Dal draws inspiration from the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, who championed the dignity, equality and equal rights of women. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) has already set an example by providing for women’s reservation in its House,” he said.

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The party also extended its support to the Delimitation Bill. According to Badal, after detailed deliberations on key issues before Parliament, the Shiromani Akali Dal demanded a fair and equitable delimitation process that ensures equal representation to all states.

The Shiromani Akali Dal supported the proposal put forward by the Government of India on the floor of the House for a uniform 50% increase in the number of seats for all states. The party emphasised that both women’s reservation and delimitation should be implemented immediately.

Party senior leader Naresh Gujral said the decision was “a very logical thing” for the party to do.

“We have one member in the Parliament and we cannot just oppose the two bills for the sake of it,” said Gujral, party vice-president and former Rajya Sabha member.

“We have been supporting women reservation in the Parliament and delimitation is need of the hour,” he further said.

Gurpreet Singh Nibber is an Assistant Editor with the Punjab bureau. He covers politics, agriculture, power sector, environment, Sikh religious affairs and the Punjabi diaspora.