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.
Live Updates
- 18 Sept 2023 1:49 PM IST
Nehru's words continue to inspire us: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha, lauded the vision of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and subsequent leaders, including Lal Bahadur Shastri, P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.It is this Parliament where Pandit Nehru spoke at the 'stroke of midnight hour' and his words continue to inspire everyone, PM Modi said in Lok Sabha.The biggest achievement of these 75 years is that the common person's trust in Parliament continues to grow, Modi said, as he wished that when Parliament shifts to its new building on Tuesday that should be a dawn of new hope and confidence.Modi said it is also an occasion to hail everyone who have led this House and shared their vision for India, ranging from Pandit Nehru to Vajpayee. - 18 Sept 2023 1:42 PM IST
BRS MP on India's democratic movement
K Keshav Rao of the BRS in RS, says the country's democratic movement has come a long way but on the wrong path since 1947. Rao says while Pandit Nehru believed in a polity where he wanted leaders from the Opposition to be part of his Cabinet, today majoritarianism has become the way for mass mobilisation... today, after 75 years, instead of bridging the gaps between rich and poor or between castes of the Varna system, we have widened the gaps. - 18 Sept 2023 1:32 PM IST
Give importance to issues of states: Thambidurai
Thambidurai urges govt to give adequate importance to issues of the states, pointing out that the Rajya Sabha is not just the House of Elders but the Council of States and federalism demands that issues of states be given priority. - 18 Sept 2023 1:30 PM IST
'Protect federalism': AIADMK MP in RS
M. Thambidurai of the AIADMK urges RS members to "protect federalism" and to also ensure that Tamil and all important languages from across the states should be given adequate respect without imposition of one language as "that is also the spirit of federalism". - 18 Sept 2023 1:17 PM IST
TMC MP points out 'assaults on federalism'
Mohd. Nadimul Haque, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP, speaks after Kharge. Haque red flags ongoing "assaults on federalism". Haque says BJP's 'Double Engine Sarkar' formulation is also violative of the spirit of federalism.
- 18 Sept 2023 1:16 PM IST
Goyal calls for making India corruption-free
As the Rajya Sabha started a discussion on Parliament's 75-year journey, Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal called for making India a corruption-free and developed nation.
Goyal also announced the shift to the new Parliament building on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Tuesday.
- 18 Sept 2023 1:08 PM IST
Convince govt to discuss inflation: Kharge urges Dhankhar
Kharge urges RS Chairman Dhankhar to convince the government to discuss inflation and unemployment in Parliament. LoP says if inflation and unemployment are not checked, democracy will be destroyed. Kharge also urges the Chairman to ensure that the Women's Reservation Bill is passed by Parliament during the special session.
- 18 Sept 2023 1:05 PM IST
Dhankhar blames Opposition
RS Chairman Dhankhar interjects Kharge again accusing him of sanctifying disruption of House proceedings. Kharge had quoted former LoP, late Arun Jaitley, who during the UPA days had famously hailed disruptions as legitimate parliamentary tools.
Dhankhar says it is unfortunate that Kharge is quoting past precedents to justify disruption. Congress MPs Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh urge Dhankhar to not repeatedly interject the LoP and allow him to finish his remaining speech without interruptions. Dhankhar says it is unfortunate that the Opposition is either absent or walks out when important issues are taken up for discussion and yet Kharge complains about not being given enough opportunity to speak in the House.
