New Delhi

Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha on Friday challenged the government over introducing amendments to the 2023 women’s reservation law before formally operationalising the original legislation.

Soon after parliamentary papers were tabled, K. C. Venugopal raised the matter, referring to a notification issued by the Law Ministry late Thursday night around 10 pm. The notification brought the 2023 women’s quota law into effect from April 16, after a bill proposing changes to it had already been introduced and debated in the House.

Kanimozhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam also questioned the sequence, asking how an amendment could be discussed before the principal Act had been notified.

Opposition members sought an explanation from Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who was present in the House.

According to an official explanation cited earlier, the original law had to be formally brought into force because any proposed amendment could not legally operate unless the parent legislation was already in effect.

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The Constitution amendment bill had earlier received assent and become law, but it had not yet taken effect as part of the Constitution because the government had not notified its commencement. Officials said that was why the notification was issued with effect from April 16.