Parliament Special Session HIGHLIGHTS: Women's Quota Bill Clears Rajya Sabha Test, Set To Become Law
Parliament Special Session HIGHLIGHTS: Hello and welcome to Parliament Special Session live blog. Please follow this space for all the latest updates on the ongoing special session of the Parliament.
"This Bill will lead to a new confidence in the people of the country. All members and political parties have played a significant role in empowering women and enhancing 'Nari Shakti'. Let us give the country a strong message," PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha.
"When elections take place, I request you that it is the Rajya Sabha and the discussions have also been fruitful. I request you to vote in support of the Bill," says PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha.
"We are giving our unconditional support to the Bill and it will be passed (in Rajya Sabha) but make sure this doesn't turn into an election 'jumla'," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha.
"I stand in support of this Bill. My party and I.N.D.I.A wholeheartedly support this Bill," Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha.
"In women-related matters, we (BJP) do not play any politics. It is an article of faith for the PM and therefore we do everything that we have done whether it is Article 370, triple talaq, or women's reservation Bill," says Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha.
"BJP has been consistently supportive of women reservation," Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha.
"Exercise of delimitation will be done for identifying the number of seats that are to be reserved for women in Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies. The reservation will cease after 15 years of being implemented," Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha.
"It is important we build consensus and prepare for economic and social empowerment of women," says Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
"I want to credit former PM PV Narasimha Rao's government for bringing 33 percent reservation at the panchayat level. As a result, we have seen a groundswell at panchayat level where reservation has been increased to 50 percent showing the contribution of women," says Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
"We all thought it would be a golden moment because we thought it would be implemented as soon as possible but now we don't know. The implementation can take 10, 15 or 20 years because it has a lot of conditions," DMK MP Kanimozhi told ANI.
Union Minister G.Kishan Reddy told ANI, "After the inauguration of the new Parliament building, we wanted to dedicate this building to women...This will be a historical building...To introduce this Bill on Ganesh Chaturthi was the government's decision...This is not from the point of view of elections... This is for giving respect to women... What the Congress government was not able to do in 60 years is happening under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi... I would like to congratulate everyone on this."
Congress MPs Naseer Hussain, Neeraj Dangi, Amee Yajnik, Ranjeet Ranjan, Rajani Patil, Phulo Devi Netam, Rajmani Patel, Jebi Mather, Dr L. Hanumanthaiah moved amendment notices for OBC reservation for women within 33% and also for the immediate implementation of Women's Reservation in the present set up of seats, ANI quoted sources as saying.
"Tomorrow is the last day of the Parliament and we demand a discussion should be held on the issue," AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi told ANI.
"No one should criticise the Women's Reservation Bill. Everyone must support it... If Congress cannot bring the Bill and if the BJP under the leadership of PM Modi has the courage to bring the Bill, let's celebrate it," Union Minister Kiren Rijiju told ANI.
"It's a historic Bill and it's going to transform the country. Once women participate actively in decision-making at the political level, the benefits will reach the grassroot level," BJP's Rajyavardhan Rathore told PTI.
"This time period will be known for its historic works... Women will get rights, and their participation will increase in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha," BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar told ANI.
"I am moving an amendment today. If it gets implemented, there will be a draw on 545 seats, and reservation can be implemented in 2024. We will appeal to the government to agree to this amendment," Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda told ANI.
"Why are they delaying it so much. It could have been implemented immediately. Why do we need to wait till 2024?... What's the problem, it should have been done immediately. It (census) was happening every ten years. It started in 1931, and this is the first time that it has been delayed. It is not good...But this (Women's Reservation) thing is nice, there will be some delay in the implementation but it will be good for women whenever it gets implemented," Bihar CM Nitish Kumar told ANI.
"You must have seen how the decision on NPR, NRC, and CAA was taken. How the decision on the farmers' Bill was taken you had seen...For the first time in the history of the Parliament...I was suspended... We will welcome it (Women's Reservation Bill) if they implement it," TMC leader Dola Sen told ANI.
"This is a historic Bill. In 1998-99, I was the Law Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. I introduced the Bill at that time. It is a very happy occasion for me and the AIADMK Party...Now the Modi Government has brought this Bill... AIADMK will support this Bill," AIADMK leader Thambi Durai told ANI.
"The BJP's intent in this is not clear... If the intent was women's empowerment, then it should have been implemented immediately... Earlier too, when the Bill was introduced in 2010 or 1979, the BJP opposed it... Today we are trying to pass this in Rajya Sabha with common consensus," Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda to ANI.
"We thank PM Modi and all the Parliamentarians for the Women's Reservation Bill," says Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha President Richa Pandey.
"Today all the women of the country are happy, and the 27 years of 'vanvas' of the Bill has ended... We hope that soon 33 per cent of women of the country will be seen in the Parliament," she adds.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, CPI (M) MP Elamaram Kareem said, "You are responsible for losing nine years of reservations for women. Now you are claiming the Nari Shakti Bandhan Bill. Which nari, sir? Manipur nari, who are women? They are paraded naked on the road, gang-raped, and mercilessly butchered under the patronage of the BJP government. The wrestling stars were assaulted by the chairman of that committee."
RJD MP Manoj Jha said that the Constitution talks about rights. “What is happening to our vocabulary? Rights will not come in the category of charity,” Jha said.
As per the delimitation commission, we have 412 General seats, 84 SCs, and 47 STs. Now what we are doing with this bill is creating a one-third division in the 84 SC and 47 ST seats.
Every woman who moves ahead will face a lot of difficulties, especially women from backward classes. The vulnerability of women from backward classes is greater. No one is there for handholding.
The govt should learn from Bengal CM Mamata Banerje how to empower women. She is the only woman CM in the country now, says TMC MP in Rajya Sabha Dola Sen. "She has launched several schemes for women like Kanyashree that provides financial help to the girls from disadvantaged families to pursue higher studies. Besides, the Mamata govt has provided 50% reservation for women at all levels of the three-tier panchayat system," she adds.
Nadda questions Congress on how many secretaries were from OBC during its tenure from 2004 to 2014. OBC reservation included in services in 199 and current secretaries are from batch before 1992, he adds.
"BJP-led NDA gave first OBC PM to the country, we have 27 OBC ministers."
"We have more OBC MPs than total MPs Congress has."
"Women always had an important role in the Indian culture. We have always seen her as 'Shakti', 'Devi' and someone who guides the society," says JP Nadda.
JP Nadda says if the women's reservation bill passes today then there will be elected women MPs under the quota in 2029.
Rajya Sabha Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan says, "we want rights, we are not an object for pity." Calls out Centre for inaction agaisnt Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moves the Women's Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha after receiving the nod from Lok Sabha.
"We all support the bill. There are some reservations regarding the implementation... If the government has the political will to implement it, this is not the way to bring the bill to the House. This will be applicable only after the census and the delimitation," says RSP MP NK Premachandran on Women's Reservation Bill
On the Women's Reservation Bill, NCP MP Fauzia Khan says, "I welcome this bill. We have been expecting it for the past 27 years...This bill has been passed in Lok Sabha and I hope will get passed in the Rajya Sabha as well. But when will it be implemented, this is the question...It is still a far-fetched dream for us, women..."
"This bill was pending for 20-25 years and will still not be implemented in the coming 20-25 years...There is a deliberate clause inserted in this bill that, first a Census will be done then delimitation and then the reservation would be given. If you have the intention to give reservations to 33% women then you should implement it for the 2024 elections...This is not a bill for reservations for women but to make them fools...The true character of the BJP is anti-women...This bill is just an election 'jumla'," says Aam Aadmi Party Sanjay Singh.
The Congress government introduced this bill in 2010. This is our bill...The BJP's goal is to not implement the bill. The passing of the bill is one thing and implementation is another thing. This is just an election campaign...I am saying to this PM that you should not only give reservations to SCs, STs and OBCs but if you are so concerned for Muslim women. You should give them a reservation as well...This bill had to pass," says Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi.
Women's Reservation Bill will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha today for passage, says Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
BJD (Biju Janata Dal) has issued a three-line Whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House today and support the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.
The lone opposition voice to the women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday was All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi and his party colleague Imtiaz Jaleel who voted against the motion. Owaisi defended his opposition to the draft legislation saying that it does not provide for a sub-quota for Muslim and Other Backward Classes (OBC) women.
During the discussion on women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule demanded a discussion on the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic row. "I stand on behalf of NCP in full support of this bill... There is another piece of information in today's newspaper which is about the incidents that happened in Canada.
"Since this is a special session only for five days, I request the government to debate a few topics which is equally relevant as today's. One is the Canada issue, the second is Maharashtra, Maratha, Dhangar, Lingayat and Muslim reservation," Sule said.
The women's reservation bill will be tabled in Rajya Sabha today after it was passed in Lok Sabha with a brute majority of 454 votes.
Background
Parliament Special Session HIGHLIGHTS: The special session of Parliament was convened from September 18 to 22, 2023.
On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha unanimously approved the Women's Reservation Bill, paving the way for a 33 percent reservation for women in both the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal's comprehensive explanation of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, led to its successful passage.
During the division, an overwhelming 454 members voted in favor of the legislation, with just two members opposing it. The proposed amendments put forth by the Opposition were rejected, and voting took place on various clauses of the bill. Speaker Om Birla announced the bill's successful passage.
Following its approval in the Lok Sabha, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 is now set to be considered by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
It is noteworthy that in 2010, the Rajya Sabha had previously passed the Women’s Reservation Bill during the Congress-led UPA government. However, it was not considered in the Lok Sabha and subsequently lapsed in the lower House of Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the Rajya Sabha to unanimously pass the women's reservation bill when it comes before the Upper House, emphasizing the importance of 'narishakti' (women power) in nation-building. Once approved by the Lok Sabha, the bill, named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, will be presented to the Rajya Sabha for consideration.
During his first address in the new Parliament building, Prime Minister Modi described the occasion as historic and memorable. He emphasized the role of the Rajya Sabha as the Upper House of Parliament and the need for it to be a center for intellectual discussions that transcend political discourse and guide the nation's direction.
Modi emphasised the importance of meeting goals on time, acknowledging that the nation is no longer willing to wait. He advocated for a new approach and mindset in order to meet people's expectations and broaden the scope of work and thought processes. The Prime Minister also lauded his government's accomplishments in resolving long-standing issues, crediting the members' maturity and intellect for these achievements.
Modi, quoting Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, emphasised that the Parliament is not only a legislative body, but also a deliberative one, emphasising the importance of informed and thoughtful debate in national governance.
- - - - - - - - - Advertisement - - - - - - - - -