Parliament passes women’s Reservation Bill
PNS|New Delhi
Parliament approved a bill for reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women with the Rajya Sabha unanimously clearing it on Thursday. All 214 MPs present in the House voted in favour of it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the MPs for supporting the legislation. Just before the House took up voting on the bill, Modi said a constructive approach of all political parties to this bill will reinvigorate the Nari Shakti.
Once more women assume leadership roles and join the nation-building process, he said, adding they will become a guarantee of the country’s bright future.
The Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill — Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — was moved in Rajya Sabha by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. It was the first bill taken up by Parliament after its proceedings during a special session moved to the new building.
According to the bill, it will come into effect after the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies which will be carried out after the completion of the next population census.
At present, women make up for nearly half of India’s 95 crore registered voters but account for only 15 per cent of lawmakers in Parliament and 10 per cent in the state assemblies.
Cutting across party lines, Rajya Sabha members on Thursday supported the bill to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lower House of Parliament and state assemblies, even as some opposition members termed it an election gimmick.
During the debate in the Upper House on the 128th Constitution Amendment Bill that seeks to reserve a third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, members also highlighted the need to accelerate the process instead of waiting for a fresh census and delimitation exercise.
Taking part in the discussion, Elamaram Kareem of CPI(M), while supporting the bill, said the BJP had promised to bring the women’s reservation bill in 2014 and in 2019 as well but did not take any action. He held the ruling party responsible for women’s reservation losing nine years.
This is an election gimmick by the BJP after losing elections in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, besides facing defeat in the civic polls in Delhi polls, he said.
Citing violence against women in strife-torn Manipur and allegations of sexual harassment by women wrestlers, Kareem alleged the government cared little for women.Ram Nath Thakur of the JD(U) questioned the timing of bringing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MP K Keshava Rao stressed the need to accelerate the process for women’s reservation and said the 2011 Census could be taken as the benchmark. He urged immediate appointment of the delimitation commission. MDMK’s Vaiko also echoed similar sentiments.
Saroj Pandey of the BJP said it was unfortunate that questions have been raised on the timing and the intent of bringing the bill. As the country celebrates ‘Amrit Kaal’, this was the ideal moment for such a legislation, she said.
Asom Gana Parishad MP Birendra Prasad Baishya noted that the women’s reservation bill has come at a “proper time” after failed attempts in the past.
JD(S) leader H D Devegowda also supported the bill and recollected steps taken by him for women’s reservation while he was the chief minister of Karnataka and also the prime minister.
Manoj Jha of the RJD said demanded that the women’s reservation bill be referred to a select committee to consider extending similar benefits to Other Backward Classes.
V Vijayasai Reddy (YSRCP) also supported the bill and said the reservation for women must also be extended to Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils.
KC Venugopal of the Congress sought immediate implementation of the legislation. He also sought reservation for the OBC women under the bill.
Venugopal claimed the Narendra Modi government did not make any effort to bring the bill in the last nine years and it is due to the political calculations that the government has brought the legislation now. “Life-transforming legislations should come from the heart and not from the head,” he said in the Upper House.
Rajani Ashokrao Patil of the Congress and Mausam Noor of the TMC also supported the bill.
Sulata Deo of the BJD, Subhas Chandra Bose Pilli of the YSRCP, Ravichandra Vaddiraju of the BRS and K Ravindra Kumar of the TDP also participated in the discussion.
