India Set To End 27-Year Wait As Modi Govt Introduces Women's Quota Bill

The BJP-led NDA government on Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment bill reserving 33 per cent seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, reviving a bill pending for 27 years, on the first day in the new Parliament building.

The bill for women's reservation, titled Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, was presented in the Lower House by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. However, it will come into effect after a delimitation exercise is completed. Hence, it is unlikely to be in force during the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

This bill held the distinction of being the inaugural legislation introduced in the new Parliament building. On September 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that this date would be remembered in history, considering it a divine calling for a "noble work."

"The Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam will further strengthen our democracy... I assure all mothers, sisters and daughters of the nation that we are committed to making this bill into a law," PM Modi said in the first speech in the first session in the new premises. The Prime Minister stated that the BJP government wants more and more women to join the development process of the country.

"For many years, there have been several debates and controversies around women's reservation. On women's reservation, there have been many efforts earlier also in Parliament. In 1996, the first bill related to this was introduced. During Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure, many times the women's reservation bill was brought but numbers could not be mustered for it and the dream was left unfulfilled," the Prime Minister said.

"For that work of ensuring rights of women and putting their power to use and for many such noble works, god has chosen me. Once again, our government has taken a step in this direction. In the cabinet yesterday, the women's reservation bill was given approval," he stated.

PM Modi urged opposition members of both Houses to pass the bill unanimously.

In limbo since 1996 when the initial bill was first introduced but faced hurdles due to political discord - particularly concerning the request for a 'quota within quota' by various regional parties - the bill is now anticipated to progress smoothly.

Most political parties are advocating for ensuring one-third representation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, stipulations in the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill stipulate that the reservation will be implemented post the delimitation exercise, incorporating the census data conducted after the bill's enactment, addressing the redrawing of constituencies.

Opposition parties, notably the Congress, vehemently raised the matter, asserting credit for the proposed law's concept and labeling the current bill as an "election gimmick." Jairam Ramesh, the Congress's general secretary, went on to denounce the bill as a "significant betrayal of the aspirations of millions of Indian women and girls."

He highlighted that the Modi government had not conducted the 2021 Decadal Census, questioning the timing of this crucial data gathering. Ramesh further emphasized that the bill specifies the reservation's activation after the subsequent Census publication and the ensuing delimitation exercise.

"Basically the Bill gets the headlines today with a very vague promise of its implementation date. This is nothing but EVM - Event Management," he said. Earlier in the morning, Congress' parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi told reporters, "It is ours, apna hai."

Women Congress supporters were also seen celebrating the bill at the AICC headquarters in Delhi. Data shows that women MPs account for about 15 per cent of Lok Sabha strength and the representation of women is under 10 per cent in many state assemblies, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, and Gujarat.

Meghwal stated that the count of female members in the Lok Sabha will surge to 181 from the current 82 once the bill is enacted. The bill outlines a 15-year duration for the reservation and includes a provision for SC/ST quotas within the reserved seats for women.

Additionally, seats reserved for women will undergo rotation following each delimitation exercise. Officials clarified that, in accordance with Article 368 provisions, this Constitution amendment bill necessitates ratification by a minimum of 50 percent of the states, considering its impact on their rights. Since 1996, numerous attempts have been made to introduce the women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The most recent attempt took place in 2010 when the Rajya Sabha approved the bill, yet it faced an impasse in the Lok Sabha. Throughout the day, several parties from various regions voiced their opinions.

At a press conference in the capital, AAP leader Atishi characterized the bill as a "deceptive bill targeting women." She emphasized the demand for discarding the stipulations regarding delimitation and census, urging for the immediate implementation of women's reservation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.