Lok Sabha Clears Women's Reservation Bill, Rajya Sabha To Take Up Today: 10 Things to Know

The Lok Sabha passed the Women's Reservation Bill, marking a significant moment in India's legislative history. The bill, which reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, was passed with near-unanimous support, a testament to the growing consensus in India on the need for greater women's representation in government.

The passage of the bill comes during a special session of Parliament that has also seen the inauguration of a new legislative building. The bill is now set to be considered by the Rajya Sabha, where it will need to be passed by a two-thirds majority. Once approved by both houses of Parliament, the bill will also need to be ratified by at least half of the state assemblies before it can become law.

Here are 10 points on this big story:

1. Despite opposition demands to extend similar benefits to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and to implement the measure before the upcoming general elections, the Lok Sabha decisively approved the bill, reserving one-third of seats for women in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
2. Day 3 of the five-day special parliamentary session, commemorating India's 75th anniversary of independence, saw an overwhelming show of support for the bill, with 454 votes in favor and only two votes against it in the Lok Sabha. The bill is now scheduled for presentation in the Rajya Sabha.
3. After years of attempts and debates, the Women's Reservation Bill finally cleared the Lok Sabha. It was initially introduced by the UPA government under the leadership of Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha in 2008, where it passed in 2010. However, it had never been brought up for consideration in the Lok Sabha until now.
4. While the historic bill proposes a 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures, it may not be fully implemented until 2029.
5. The implementation of the women's quota hinges on the first delimitation of constituencies following the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill. This process is expected to occur in 2027, as delimitation is typically carried out after the completion of the next census.
6. The potential delay in implementation has given rise to demands from opposition parties for an immediate enactment of the bill, including a sub-quota for OBCs.
7. During the parliamentary debate, Sonia Gandhi, the chief of the Congress parliamentary party, expressed frustration on behalf of Indian women, who have waited for over a decade for their political empowerment and are now being asked to wait for several more years.
8. Rahul Gandhi, a prominent Congress leader, raised questions about the need for a new census and delimitation, suggesting that the bill could be implemented sooner. He speculated that the delay might be a strategic move to postpone its full effect by several years.
9. Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that both delimitation and census activities would commence after the next general election. He urged all members to rise above partisan politics and unanimously pass the bill, acknowledging that women had been let down by Parliament four times in the past.
10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the passage of the bill, expressing his gratitude to MPs from all political parties who supported it. He praised the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a historic legislation that would further empower women and enhance their participation in the political process.