Rajya Sabha passes Women Reservation Bill

New Delhi, March 9 (ANI): In a historic moment, the long-awaited Women's Reservation Bill was passed finally on Tuesday evening in the Rajya Sabha, the upper House of the Parliament, with 186 being in favour of the Bill and just one voting against it.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, who first called for voice voting, said: "I think the Ayes have it" and called for the division of the vote on Bill which intends to ensure 33 % reservation for women in the Parliament and all Legislative Assemblies.

The voting for which electronic voting and slips-method were used had to be carried out for about four times in the wake of certain constitutional clauses put up for amendment in the Bill.

The Women's Reservation Bill was passed by voice vote with the members saying 'Ayes' being 186, while the members saying 'Noes' being merely one in the Rajya Sabha.

The Bill required 155 votes out of the 233 members to be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Finally, the Rajya Sabha Chairman said: "The Bill stands passed by required majority." And, the entire House hailed its passage by thumping of the desks. (ANI)