The budget session of the Parliament has been extended for another three days as the Centre moves to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Empowerment Act) Amendment Bill. The three-day session is aimed at implementing the women’s quota law ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029.
The original amendment to the Constitution was passed in 2023, but the reservation exercise was set to take place after delimitation and the ongoing census was completed. Thus, under its current provisions, the implementation, if carried out after the 2027 census, could delay its enforcement even till 2034.
In this special three day-session, the government plans to push the implementation of the bill based on the 2011 census.
What is the women’s reservation bill?
In this three-day session, the government aims to pass an amendment to this law, which will allow 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies before the 2027 census is complete.
Furthermore, the bill proposes increasing the Lok Sabha to 816 seats, of which 273 will be reserved for women.
If the bill is passed, the first elections, where this reservation will be implemented, will be in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Uttarakhand.
Two-thirds vote needed amid opposition backlash
The bill, which is a constitutional amendment, will require a special majority to pass, including a majority of the total members of the House, and a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought support of political parties for the implementation of the reservation quota, the Opposition led by the Congress has questioned the motive of the ruling NDA for pushing the amendment at this time and in the current manner.
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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Modi, alleging that the Centre is rushing the process for “political mileage” as four states head to the polls.
Kharge also flagged that while the bill was passed unanimously in 2023, the Centre decided not to implement it despite consensus in the house.
BJP issues whip ahead of parliament session
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a whip for its parliamentarians. Under this, all BJP MPs will be required to be present in the house from April 16 to 18 for the special session to pass the women’s reservation bill.
In its whip, the BJP has stated that no leaves will be granted to MPs. This order comes after Modi called for “collective action” in an appeal to political parties.
Furthermore, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has called on MPs to avoid bringing posters and banners inside the house during the special session.
We have issued a bulletin for this, and I have personally appealed to all Members within Parliament, as well as to all political parties. It was discussed at the Business Advisory Committee meetings too that the use of banners, placards, unparliamentary language, and sloganeering is not befitting of a democracy,” Birla was quoted as saying by PTI.
