One Step Closer To Being Law, Women's Quota Bill Faces Rajya Sabha Test Today

NEW DELHI: After hours of fierce debate, the Lok Sabha passed the Women's Reservation Bill with 454 votes which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, was passed after a reply by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The Bill was passed by a majority of the total membership of the House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the House “present and voting”.

The Bill was passed following division with 454 members voting in favour of the legislation and two against it on the motion for the passage moved by Meghwal. The amendments moved by opposition members were negatived and there was also voting on clauses of the bill. Speaker Om Birla announced that the Bill had been passed. The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' is the first bill passed by Lok Sabha during the special session after it shifted to the new Parliament building on Tuesday.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha today by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The Rajya Sabha had earlier passed the Women’s Reservation Bill in 2010 during the Congress-led UPA government but it was not taken up in the Lok Sabha and subsequently lapsed in the lower House of Parliament.

The government introduced the new bill on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the government’s intention to bring 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'. Sources said the division was carried out through slips as information regarding division numbers in the New House is awaited from some parties in the Lok Sabha.

Prime Minister expressed thanks to MP across party lines for voting in favour of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Amid the debate in the Lok Sabha over the Women’s Reservation Bill, the Opposition parties stuck to their demand of a quota within a quota. The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' is a "historic legislation" that will further boost women's empowerment and will enable "greater participation of women in our political process," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday after the passage of the bill in Lok Sabha.

"Delighted at the passage of The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha with such phenomenal support. I thank MPs across Party lines who voted in support of this Bill," PM Modi said on 'X' (formerly Twitter).

Meanwhile, the Union Home Minister also that the bill will foster equitable and gender-inclusive development in the country. In a post on X, the Union Minister said that the Bill reiterates the commitment of the Central government to women-led governance. Terming the passage of the bill a ‘historic leap’, Amit Shah said, “It is a historic leap for our nation as the Lok Sabha passes the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' today. The bill envisaged by PM @narendramodi Ji will not only script a new chapter in the history of women's empowerment but also foster equitable and gender-inclusive development in our nation. It yet again reiterates the Modi government's commitment to women-led governance.”

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said that this is a historic moment. "This is a historic moment...When a government's intentions and policies are clear...then things happen...Let's rejoice," Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Moreover, BJP MP Tejaswi Surya said that this is one more historic step towards the true empowerment of women.  "This is one more historic step towards true empowerment of women, ensuring higher political representation of women in policy-making by the Narendra Modi government," Surya added. 
Union Minister Anurag Thakur thanked all the political parties for their support for this Bill. "All political parties have supported this bill and we thank them for this...I hope, unanimously this bill will get passed in Rajya Sabha also and we can make history," Thakur said. 

Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that what a better way to begin Parliamentary innings for any parliamentarian. "What a better way to begin Parliamentary innings for any parliamentarian than with the passage of a bill that crores of women were waiting for," Irani said. 
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP leader Aparna Yadav said that I have to say that ‘Modi hai toh mumkin hai’.

"I thank PM Modi from the bottom of my heart…this bill was pending for such a long time…I have to say that ‘Modi hai toh mumkin hai’…I thank the opposition also for supporting this bill," Aparna Yadav said.  Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "This is a very happy moment for the citizens of the country...I congratulate the women of the country."

Meanwhile, MoS for Railways and Textile, Darshana Jardosh said,"...With majority votes the dream that Prime Minister saw has been achieved... I already knew that the integrity with which it was introduced in the new Parliament building, it would get good support..." BJP MP Locket Chatterjee called it a historic day.

"This Bill has come under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. People say a lot but take no action, however, PM Modi did it," Chatterjee said. Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh says, "This is a good bill and India will be progressing." Moreover, BJP MP Rajyavardhan Rathore said that since 2014, there have been several policies by PM Modi. 

"This is a historic Bill and moment...Since 2014, there have been several policies by PM Modi that have led to women's empowerment," Rathore said. 
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that this is a new chapter in women's empowerment. "This is a new chapter in women's empowerment. Many greetings and congratulations to PM Modi," MP CM said. 

Meanwhile, Singer Malini Awasthi also reacted and said that all parties of the opposition also came together and gave one view. "All parties of the opposition also came together and gave one view... I think that this (Women's Reservation Bill) sets a huge example for the world that what progressive thinking really is... This is a huge start. I want to thank PM and his whole cabinet for fulfilling our long-awaited wish," Awasthi said. 

On voting against the Women's Reservation Bill on Lok Sabha, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that there are 7 per cent Muslim women in the Indian population and their representation is 0.7 per cent. "There are 7 per cent Muslim women in the Indian population and their representation is 0.7 per cent... We voted against it so that they would know that there were two MPs who were fighting for the inclusion of the OBC and the Muslim women," Owaisi said. 

Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram called it a symbolic bill adding that for it to come into effect, two steps have to be crossed, we have to do a census which we haven't done since 2011. "It is a symbolic bill, for it to come into effect, two steps have to be crossed, we have to do a census which we haven't done since 2011 and after that, we have to also do a delimitation and it is going to be very complicated," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that it is good that the bill got passed but we have concerns, it is a bit of a Jhumla. "It is good that the bill got passed but we have concerns, it is a bit of a Jhumla because of reference to delimitation and census, neither of it has been scheduled, which makes it very unclear when this(bill) will actually be implemented," Shashi Tharoor said.

Congratulating everyone Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said that it is a historic bill that has been passed. "I want to congratulate everyone. A historic bill has passed. But there has been a delay by the government in bringing this bill. There are only six months in the (Lok Sabha) elections. The government brought this bill looking at these 6 months and the strength of the INDIA bloc. This is absolutely political," Dimple Yadav said.

Moreover, National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah said that the Bill is passed and it is a historic day.  "The Bill is passed...This is a very historic day... Women will come to Parliament and strengthen the country," Farooq Abdullah said. BRS MLC K Kavitha reacted over on Women's Reservation Bill passed in Lok Sabha and said that we have achieved a major step in terms of achieving more participation of women in the political process.

"I congratulate all the Indian women that we have achieved a major step in terms of achieving more participation of women in the political process. This will certainly enrich our country. We are a huge nation, we are a democracy. Participation of women is going to increase the quality of the debate... Not giving space to OBC women is painful... It is a big step for our women, we should celebrate and continue the fight for our OBC sisters," Kavitha added. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "It makes me happy and emotional...We have lived up to that commitment...It is something I welcome." Meanwhile, CPI MP Binoy Viswam said OBC reservations are pending but INDIA bloc parties believed that this bill should be passed "OBC reservations are pending but INDIA bloc parties believed that this bill should be passed and rest of it we can find solutions…INDIA stands for passing of the bill," Viswam said. 

The Special Session of Parliament began on Monday and will continue till Friday.