20 Sep 2023 3:35 PM GMT
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday (September 20) passed the Bill proposing to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha, the state legislatures, and the Delhi legislative assembly. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-eight Amendment) Bill 2023, which was introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal yesterday on the second day of the special session of the Parliament, was passed with 2/3rd majority of the members present and voting in the Lok Sabha.
While 454 Members of Parliament voted in its favour, 2 MPs voted against it.
The Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to introduce 33 percent reservation for women in the Lower House of Parliament, the state legislatures, and the Delhi legislative assembly. It must also be noted that in its current form, the women’s reservation bill is proposed to be enforced only after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken following the first census conducted after its enactment.
"After elections, soon census and delimitation exercise will take place. After this, there will be 1/3rd women in this House", Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the house.
While the opposition members also supported women reservation, they questioned the clause in the Bill which deferred the implementation of women reservation till the completion of the next delimitation exercise, which can be carried out only after the census is conducted. Many opposition members demanded that women reservation should be implemented immediately. Many of them also demanded that separate reservation must be provided for women belonging to OBC and minorities.
The Law Minister moved some amendments to certain clauses of the Bill, which were accepted by the House.
Live-updates from the Lok Sabha discussion, which spilled over eight hours, can be read here.
The last time a bill to reserve seats for women in the Lower House of the Parliament, state legislatures, and Delhi legislative assembly, was introduced was over a decade ago, when the Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008 was passed by the Rajya Sabha. This bill, however, lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-14).
The 2008 bill proposed amendments to three constitutional provisions – Article 239AA (Special provisions with respect to Delhi), Article 331 (Representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the House of the People), and Article 333 (Representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the Legislative Assemblies of the States). Additionally, it introduced three new articles, namely Articles 330A, 332A, and 334A. The first two newly proposed articles sought to introduce reservation for women in Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies, while the last article contained a sunset clause for this affirmative policy to be phased out after a period of 15 years.
The 2023 bill proposes an amendment to one constitutional provision, i.e., Article 239AA (Special provisions with respect to Delhi), and the insertion of three new articles namely Articles 330A, 332A, and 334A - the first two seeking to introduce 33 percent in Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies respectively. A crucial difference between the earlier bill and the constitutional amendment bill that has now been introduced is that it is proposed to be enforced after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for the purpose following the first census after the enactment of the bill, although the sunset clause has been retained. Provisions relating to the reservation for the Anglo-Indian community have also been left undisturbed, unlike in the previous bill which sought to amend Articles 331 and 333.
Also Read - Read What Supreme Court Told Centre About Women’s Reservation Bill One Month Ago
Text of the Constitution (128th) Amendment Bill 2023, which seeks to provide 1/3rd reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.#WomenReservation to take effect after the delimitation exercise after the first census following the passing of the Bill.… pic.twitter.com/gqaFC9bCMi