New Delhi: Amid Opposition barbs on the government’s intent to implement the Women’s Reservation Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the draft legislation provides 33 per cent reservation for women in all three categories of MPs (SC, ST and general, including OBC). He further said the delimitation exercise and census will be conducted after the next general elections.
“After elections, the census and delimitation exercise will take place. After that, there will be 1/3rd reservation for women in this House,” Amit Shah said during a debate on the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha.
“The provision for reservation in Parliament is provided under Article 330 of the Constitution, while a similar provision for the legislative assemblies is provided under Article 332. The reservation provided under these Articles, includes members both from SC and ST communities,” Amit Shah said in the Lower House.
Responding to specific attacks from the Opposition on the decision to constitute a delimitation commission which they claim will delay the implementation of the legislation, Amit Shah said “in the draft legislation, Article 330A and 332A provides for reservation for women. Further the Bill provides for vertical reservation for women in all three categories (general/OBC SC and ST).”
On the question of the delimitation commission, the Union Home Minister said it is a legally sanctioned procedure that sets the tone for the electoral process. “The quasi-judicial proceedings under this panel is presided over by a former Supreme Court judge. It also comprises a representative from the Election Commission as well as members of other organisations involved in the process of holding elections in the country,” he said.
Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his claim that of the 90 secretaries holding key positions in central administration, only three were women, Shah retorted, “Some leaders in the Opposition think that the country is run by the secretaries. I think it is the government which runs the country.”
He said that it is better that a delimitation commission, which is a quasi-judicial body, goes to the far corners of the country and holds open hearings on the reservation issue, adding that it would ensure a transparent procedure on reservation.