Winter Session: Rahul writes to Congress CMs for passage of Women’s Reservation Bill

New Delhi, Dec 9: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has written to Congress/alliance governments in the states to have a resolution passed in their respective assemblies seeking one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

In a letter written to, Rahul has stated, "In order to affirm our support to the passage of the (Women's Reservation) Bill, it would be expedient for the State Assembly to pass a resolution calling for the reservation of one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies for women, in the next session."

The 3-day long Winter Session of Punjab Assembly will commence on 13 December.

Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev had also written to all Congress-led state governments, regarding Women's Reservation Bill vide her letter dated 23 November, 2018.
On 16 July, 2018, Rahul wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to ensure the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

In the letter, the Congress chief offered his party's unconditional support to the Bill and said the time had come for change, and for women to take their rightful place in State legislatures and Parliament.

Rahul also urged Modi to ensure that the Bill gets passed during the itself so that women can participate "more meaningfully" in the State elections later this year and in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

"Mr Prime Minister, in many of your public rallies you have spoken about your passion for empowering women and involving them more meaningfully in public life.

"What better way to demonstrate your commitment to the cause of women, than by offering your unconditional support to the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill? And what better time, than the upcoming session of Parliament? Any further delay will make it impossible to implement before the next general elections," the Amethi MP said in the letter to the PM.

Women's Reservation Bill, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010, had been stalled in the Lok Sabha on one pretext or the other for over eight years now. The Legislative Assemblies of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have already taken a lead and passed a resolution calling on the Central government to enact the Women's Reservation.