16042026-TTB-01.qxd 4/16/2026 12:03 AM Page 1 c m y b DMKCALLS PROTEST OVER DELIMITATION TODAY NATION /thetribunechd 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 104 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA VADRA SUMMONED IN HRY LAND DEAL CASE BACK PAGE thursday | 16 april 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com INDIA bloc rejects delimitation War ‘close to over’: Trump as Munir reaches Tehran to push mediation push, but backs women quota Iran fumes over US blockade | Fresh talks likely ahead of April 22 truce deadline Vows to oppose linking of reservation Act to 2011 Census TRIBUNE PHOTO: MUKESH AGGARWAL Animesh Singh & Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 15 Closing ranks ahead of a crucial Parliament session, the INDIA bloc, led by the Congress, on Wednesday made it clear that while it supports women’s reservation in principle, it wants the quota to be implemented within the existing strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats and not through a delimitation exercise being proposed by the Centre. At a strategy meeting convened by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, leaders from across the Opposition spectrum agreed to fight any move that links the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act to the 2011 Census and subsequent redrawing of constituencies on its basis. The Congress said the way the government was implementing it through delimitation was wrong and politically motivated and the Opposition parties would fight it in Parliament. Three Constitution amendment Bills, which need a twothirds majority to get passed, are expected to be tabled during the extended Budget session starting on April 16. Speaking to reporters after the INDIA bloc meeting, continued on page 8 edit: delimitation discord Ajay Banerjee & Ujwal Jalali Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir arrives in Tehran on Wednesday. PRESIDENT XI WILL GIVE ME BIG, FAT HUG China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them and world. President Xi will give me a big, fat hug when I get there in a few weeks. Donald Trump, US PRESIDENT and warned that US forces could “take out every one of their bridges and power badly,” he said, signalling that a second round of talks continued on page 8 Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 15 US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed the conflict with Iran was “very close to over”, even as Pakistan intensified backchannel diplomacy with a highlevel delegation, led by Army Chief Asim Munir, reaching Tehran to push for a renewed ceasefire framework. In remarks to Fox Business, Trump asserted that Iran had been “hit very hard” ❝ plants in one hour” if negotiations failed. “I think they want to make a deal very Kejriwal seeks excise case Raghav Chadha’s Z-plus Sure of numbers, govt to move Bills in judge’s recusal, says kin cover withdrawn by Pb; enrolled as govt counsel may now get it from Centre Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge addresses the media in New Delhi on Wednesday. J&K CM Omar Abdullah, DMK’s TR Baalu, NCP(SP)’s Supriya Sule, TMC’s Sagarika Ghose and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav are also seen. Parl today, calls them ‘balanced, just’ Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 15 The fraught issue of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies will come up for discussion in Parliament once more on Thursday, with the government set to move for implementing the quota from the 2029 election cycle. The government is confident of the numbers it needs to pass the Bills. Ahead of the three-day session called from Thursday to DETAILED COVERAGE BSP CHIEF MAYAWATI FLAGS SC, ST CONCERNS EX-PREZ PATIL, MEIRA SUPPORT WOMEN QUOTA DELIMITATION TO DILUTE SOUTH’S LS SHARE: PC BIGGER LS TO ALTER PB, HARYANA, HP, J&K SEATS NATION & BACK PAGE pilot three draft legislations, the government assured an agitated Opposition of fair play and balance. “The proposed Bills are absolutely balanced, wellthought-of and will take care of the aspiration of every state. There is no scope for any criticism whatsoever. I have reached out to all parties on the matter. Everyone is sounding positive about the agenda,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju today after the Congress-led Opposition called women’s reservation issue a cloak for delimitation. The Opposition bloc believes that the intended delimitation and proposal to continued on page 8 c m y b Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 15 AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday filed an additional affidavit before the Delhi High Court seeking the recusal of Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma from hearing the CBI’s revision petition in the excise policy case, placing on record details of the empanelment of the judge’s son and daughter as Union Government counsel. The fresh affidavit comes after a hearing on April 13, when Justice Sharma had Files additional affidavit before Delhi High Court reserved orders on applications moved by Kejriwal and other accused seeking her recusal. During that hearing, Kejriwal, appearing in continued on page 8 new delhi, April 15 Days after a verbal spat between MP Raghav Chadha and the AAP over his removal from the post of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, the Punjab Government has withdrawn his Z-plus security cover, it has been learnt. Meanwhile, sources in Delhi said Chadha may be provided a security cover by the Centre. The cover was withdrawn a few days ago, sources said. The Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) criticised the AAP government over the withdrawal of Chad- AAP recently removed him as RS deputy leader ha’s Z-plus security cover. Punjab Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the BJP and AAP may pretend to be at loggerheads, but continued on page 8