While urging the lawmakers to unanimously vote for the passing of the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today on September 19, introduced the Bill to grant 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha as well as the legislative assemblies of the states.
The Bill which is named as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam seeks to increase the participation of women in the lawmaking processes across the country. “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. This date of September 19 is going to be etched in history,” the Prime Minister said in his speech at Rajya Sabha.
The Bill mentions that the seats will be reserved after the completion of the first Census conducted after the passage of the Bill. This technically means that the legistlation even after getting passed will not be applicable till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is to be noted that this Bill is the first Bill to be introduced in the recently inaugurated building of the Parliament.
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Introducing the Bill, Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that once passed, it will take the number of women Members of Parliament [MPs] in the Lok Sabha, as per its present strength of 543, to 181. The Lower House presently has 82 women MPs. It mandates women’s reservation for 15 years from the date of the passing of the Act and the Parliament is empowered to extend it even further.
Opposition fumes at delayed implementation
However, the 334A (1) clause in the Bill which doesn’t allow the upcoming law to be implemented before the Census has attracted controversy. Former Congress leader Kapil Sibal questioned the delay in introducing the Bill when the opposition parties were in favour of its introduction for 10 years.
“Wonder why Modi ji, if introduced, waited for almost 10 years when almost all political parties are in support? 2024 is perhaps the reason. But if the government does not provide quota for OBC women BJP may also lose UP in 2024 ! Think about it !” Sibal posted on X [formerly Twitter].
Jignesh Mewani, the Congress leader from Gujarat stated that the intention of the Bill is to ‘grab headlines before 2024 general elections’.
“The introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill, though after a gap of 10 years, is a welcome step. However, the many clauses within the bill show that the intention is not to empower but to grab headlines before the 2024 general elections. According to the bill, we will have to first wait for the population census (which has not yet started), and then the delimitation of constituencies that will happen only after the census count. Basically, the law won’t come into force before the 2029 elections. So, it’s nothing less than a jumla as of now,” Mewani posted on X.
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“The other major flaw, there is no specific reservation clause for women from the SC, ST, OBC, nomadic tribes and other backward communities in the bill. How will their representation be assured without the legal provision in the bill?” Mewani added.
