LIVE | Day 2 in Parliament: Unanimously clear women reservation bill, PM tells Rajya Sabha
Bill gets the name Naari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; bill proposes 33% quota for women for 15 years
The government on Tuesday (September 19) introduced a constitutional amendment bill to reserve one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, reviving a bill pending for 27 years for want of consensus among parties.
Making it the first bill to be introduced in the new Parliament building, the government said it will enable greater participation of women in policy-making at the state and national levels and help achieve the goal of making India a developed country by 2047. The bill has been named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
With several parties parties pushing for reservation of women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, the bill is likely to see a smooth passage this time, unlike the earlier instances when several regional parties had opposed it. However, its implementation may still take some time and is unlikely to be in force for the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024 as the reservation will come into effect only after a delimitation exercise is completed.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Union Cabinet approved the bill on Monday and that the government wants more and more women to join the development process of the country. The world has recognised the women-led development process in the country and is witnessing contribution made by Indian women in different aspects of life from sports to startups, the prime minister said.
In the Rajya Sabha, Modi appealed to members to unanimously approve the women's reservation bill - Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam - when it comes to the Upper House after being passed by Lok Sabha. Speaking during the first sitting of Rajya Sabha in the new Parliament building, Modi said the bill would be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. "When the bill comes before you, I urge Rajya Sabha members to approve it unanimously," Modi said.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitutional Amendment bill, Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, to reserve one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women earlier in the day.
The special session commenced on Monday (September 18) amid an intense buzz on whether the government will have some surprise item up its sleeve. What followed was an impassioned speech by Prime Modi, who recalled key pieces of legislation passed in the existing Parliament House.
VIDEO | "Women's Reservation Bill was long awaited. Today, PM Modi said women will do good work if they come to Parliament. 'Modi hai to mumkin hai'," says BJP MP @RamaDeviBJP on Women's Reservation Bill being tabled in Lok Sabha. #WomensReservationBill pic.twitter.com/25BeLQh5Pw— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
VIDEO: "If 181 seats are reserved for women and their representation is ensured, it will undoubtedly be revolutionary. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru decided to grant women the right to vote even before England. Congress has consistently supported women's rights and advocated for gender… pic.twitter.com/pcTvYGZKpp— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
#WATCH | On Women's Reservation Bill, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal says, "They (BJP govt) want political advantage in 2024 and want to tell women that they did such a historic thing...they should have done this in 2014. What is so historic about this?...there will be a census and… pic.twitter.com/VEOumSlddc— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
#WATCH | Delhi: On Women's Reservation Bill, Congress MP KC Venugopal says, "We only introduced and passed it in Rajya Sabha...It is well and good now the government is coming for a bill. But when we saw the bill there is something that has to be done more. We think that the… pic.twitter.com/9Uls2EvJfQ— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
VIDEO | "The government could have discussed any other issue or passed any other bill in Parliament, but they chose to prioritise women's empowerment. I believe this is a very big statement," says Bollywood actress @KanganaTeam on Women's Reservation Bill.#WomensReservationBill pic.twitter.com/fs9uXnXJmh— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
VIDEO | "This is a historic moment. We have entered the new Parliament today and on the same day we have given a splendid message that this new Parliament is concerned about your (women) rights," says Anupriya Patel @AnupriyaSPatel Women's Reservation Bill tabled in Lok Sabha.… pic.twitter.com/2ry0hggEVO— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
VIDEO | "PM Modi has dedicate Nari Shakti Vandan Bill to the country. I want to thank him for finding solution to years of struggle," says Union minister @smritiirani on Women's Reservation Bill tabled in Lok Sabha.#WomensReservationBill pic.twitter.com/YTsLVP635I— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
VIDEO | "Previous governments may have tried, but they lacked the intention to bring the bill. The Bhartiya Janata Party believes in doing rather than just talking. Several historical steps will be taken in the new (Parliament) building," says BJP MP @SadhviPragya_MP on Women's… pic.twitter.com/wns0GLAIWT— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi criticized the Women's Reservation Bill, alleging that it's a political move ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She accused the BJP of not genuinely caring about women's welfare and referred to the bill as the "Mahila Bewakoof Banao" bill.
Atishi raised concerns about the inclusion of delimitation and census provisions in the bill, suggesting that it would delay its implementation before the 2024 elections.
Atishi insisted that the AAP supports women's reservation in principle but needed to study the bill's specifics. She also called for broader initiatives, including 50% reservation for women in all government jobs.
AAP's Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha demanded immediate implementation of women's reservation, expressing doubts about the bill's timeline due to the inclusion of delimitation and census requirements.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, was introduced in the Lower House, marking it as the first bill in the new Parliament building.