Parliament LIVE: Sonia Leads Oppn Charge On Women's Reservation Bill, Demands Census for OBC Quota

“The Bill will be implemented at any cost…Congress did not do a census for the local body elections quota…Census was delayed because of COVID-19, census and delimitation date will be announced soon…Congress is trying to do politics in Women’s Reservation Bill…this is BJP and PM Modi’s bill,” said BJP’s Nishikant Dubey in Lok Sabha.

“It is a very touching moment of my life. The first time, the Constitutional Amendment determining women’s participation in local bodies was brought by my life partner Rajiv Gandhi,” says Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi during the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha.

Any delay in implementing women’s reservation bill will be gross injustice to Indian women…Immediate implementation of women’s reservation bill by removing all obstacles not only necessary but also possible: Sonia Gandhi in LS

“We must do census for OBC quota…Congress demands that women’s quota bill be implemented immediately with sub-quota for SCs, STs, OBCs,” said Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha

“It is difficult to gauge the extent of patience of women; they never think of taking rest,” said Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha

“I have stood in support of the bill… I hope it is passed unanimously,” said Sonia Gandhi as she led Congress in Lok Sabha during the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Women’s Reservation Bill | Union Law & Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal says, “…This Bill will enhance the dignity of women as well as equality of opportunities. Women will get representation. There are four important clauses…”

“The government is working to bring equality among women… Women’s Reservation Bill was first introduced during former PM HD Deve Gowda’s tenure… Women’s Reservation Bill is very important for women’s empowerment,” said Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, or the Women’s Reservation Bill, has been taken for discussion in Lok Sabha.

The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Rajya Sabha allocated seven and half hours for discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill on Thursday.

The Central government on Wednesday will seek passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will move the Bill in the Lok Sabha for discussion and seek it’s passage.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 or the Women’s Reservation Bill, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in the supplementary list of business on Tuesday.

Looking at the history of women representation in Lok Sabha, the percentage remained about 5 till the 1970s and it was only in 2009 that it could reach a double-digit figure.

Women’s representation in Rajya Sabha has been slightly lower than in Lok Sabha, not yet crossing 13 per cent of the total membership of the house since 1951.

The highest proportion of women representatives elected to Lok Sabha so far was in the 2019 elections, but it was nearly 15 per cent of total membership while the highest proportion of women representatives to Rajya Sabha stood at 12.7 per cent in 2014.

In Lok Sabha in 1951, the representation of women stood at 5 per cent which remained same in 1957. The percentage increased to 6 per cent in 1962, 1967 and it was recorded at 5 per cent in 1971, 4 per cent in 1977, 5 per cent in 1980, 8 per cent in 1984, 6 per cent in 1989, 7 per cent in 1991, 7 per cent in 1996, 8 per cent in 1998, 9 per cent in 1999, 8 per cent in 2004, 11 per cent in 2009 and 12 per cent in 2014.

While in Rajya Sabha, women representation stood at 6.9 per cent in 1952, 7.8 per cent in 1954, 8.6 per cent in 1956, 9.5 per cent in 1958, 10.2 per cent in 1960, 7.2 per cent in 1962, 8.9 per cent in 1964, 9.8 per cent in 1966, 9.6 per cent in 1968, 5.8 per cent in 1970, 7.4 per cent in 1972, 7.5 per cent in 1974, 10.1 per cent in 1976, 10.2 per cent in 1978. Women’s representation stood at 12 per cent in 1980, 10.1 per cent in 1982, 10.3 per cent in 1984, 11.5 per cent in 1986, 10.6 per cent in 1988, 10.3 per cent in 1990, 7.2 per cent in 1992, 8.3 per cent in 1994, 7.8 per cent in 1996, 7.7 per cent in 1998, 9 per cent in 2000, 10.2 per cent in 2002, 11.4 per cent in 2004, 10.2 per cent in 2006, 9.8 per cent in 2008, 11 per cent in 2010, 10.6 per cent in 2012, 12.7 per cent in 2014, 11 per cent in 2016, 11.4 per cent in 2018 and 10.2 per cent in 2020.

PM Modi took to microblogging site X and said yesterday was a “very special day for our democracy”, adding that he is “confident that the new Parliament will enhance the dedication and further transformative governance for our nation”.

PM Modi shared highlights from the first day of new Parliament:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged disrespectful remarks in Parliament on Telangana martyrs and their sacrifices are nothing but insulting the state’s existence and self-respect, AICC leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday. In a message posted on X (formerly twitter) in Telugu, Gandhi said, Prime Minister Modi’s disrespecting speech on the martyrs of Telangana and their sacrifices is an insult to Telangana’s existence and self-respect. READ MORE

The opposition on Tuesday termed as an “election jumla” the women’s reservation bill brought by the government with many leaders raising questions over the proposed legislation, contending it doesn’t account for reservation for OBC communities and that it will be effective at the earliest by the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

Meeting a long-pending demand, the government on Tuesday introduced the Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, it is unlikely to be in force for the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024 as the reservation will come into effect only after a census and delimitation exercise are completed.

Calling the bill an “election jumla” and “huge betrayal of hopes of women”, the Congress said that according to the Centre, the reservation will be effective only after census and delimitation exercise are conducted post-enactment of the bill. READ MORE

amil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has opposed limiting reservation to 50 per cent in employment and education and demanded that respective states be allowed to decide on the quantum of quota.

Tamil Nadu, for instance, had a maximum of 69 per cent reservation and it should not be capped at 50 per cent, the Chief Minister said on Tuesday while virtually addressing the second conference of All India Federation for Social Justice, New Delhi.

Hence, based on the population of the deserving sections, the states should be allowed to decide on the quantum of quota, the president of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu said. He also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of not properly implementing the reservation policy.

Delhi Minister Atishi criticised the Women’s Reservation Bill introduced by the Centre and labeled it a ploy intended to deceive women.

Speaking to journalists, Atishi asserted that women would not benefit from reservation just before the 2024 elections. She said, “According to the Bill, once passed, a census will be conducted, followed by delimitation based on the census data, and then reservation will be granted based on the new delimitation.”

“The census alone takes a minimum of one year, and after that, the delimitation process begins. Even for small areas like the MCD, the Election Commission took six months to complete delimitation. Delimitation for the entire country will take almost 1-2 years,” she added.

The Lok Sabha is set to discuss the Women’s Quota Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), which was tabled by Centre for discussion at 11.00 a.m. today, after the proceedings of the House start. The 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2023, for 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and all state Assemblies.

The Congress on Tuesday launched a tirade against the government after it tabled the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament saying that  the Bill is one of the biggest poll ‘jumla’ and a huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women and girls.

“In a season of election jumlas, this one is the biggest of them all. A huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women and girls,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote on X.

Lashing out at the government, Ramesh who is also a Rajya Sabha MP said, “As we had pointed out earlier, Modi government has not yet conducted the 2021 Decadal Census making India the only country in G20 that has failed to carry out the Census. Now it says that the reservation for women will come into effect only following the first decadal Census conducted after the Women’s Reservation Bill has become an Act. When will this Census take place?”