Bhubaneswar: Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida on Sunday appealed to members of both the Opposition parties in the state, BJD and Congress, to support the Women’s Reservation Bill (officially called Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam). The Bill seeks to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and legislative state assemblies for women.“Letters will also be sent to other political parties, seeking their support to ensure the Bill’s passage,” Parida said while addressing a press conference on the Bill here.Stating that the govt has called for a special three-day session of Parliament from April 16 to 18, where it will introduce a Constitutional Amendment Bill aimed at implementing the women’s reservation law ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, Parida said a series of programmes will be organised by the state govt from Sunday until April 18 to raise awareness among people about the Bill. “Non-political padayatras for sensitising the public will be a part of these programmes,” she said, while urging people to express their support to the Bill by giving a missed call to 9667173333.She added, “The 33% reservation will give a new direction to the country and will be written in golden letters in India’s history.”She highlighted that women are now more empowered than before, pointing to the success of self-help groups, where many women have become Lakhpati Didis. She also noted that women’s voter turnout has surpassed that of men, with a higher percentage of female voters participating in elections.Parida credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for working consistently towards women’s development since assuming office. She further stated that the Modi govt has adopted a seven-point formula for women’s rights — respect, safety, equality, participation, empowerment, self-reliance and dignified leadership — which will serve as the foundation for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.The Women’s Reservation Bill was passed by Parliament in Sept 2023. The Centre is now working to expedite its implementation for the 2029 general elections, instead of waiting for Census and delimitation, which could delay it until 2034 or later.The proposed plan includes expanding the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats, with 273 seats reserved for women, enabling implementation of the 33% quota without displacing existing representatives.
