"Women’s Reservation Bill is a transformative moment in nation’s history": Former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar
Sep 19, 2023
New Delhi [India], September 19 : Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar on Tuesday said that the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill is a transformative moment in the nation’s history.
"The introduction and imminent passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill is a transformative moment in the nation’s history," Ashwani Kumar said.
He further said that Women’s reservations in legislatures would empower women and strengthen the nation’s democratic edifice.
"The transformative law will address historical injustices and give voice to the aspirations of half of our population," he said.
He further added that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh can justly claim credit for initiating the move.
"The national consensus on the move demonstrates our capacity to rise above partisan politics in aid of overarching national goals," he said.
He said that this should be the beginning of a cooperative and collaborative political endeavour towards national renewal.
Earlier in the day, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the first sitting of Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building. The bill has been named "Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam."
Introducing the bill in the house the minister said "This bill is in relation to women empowerment. By amending Article 239AA of the Constitution, 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Article 330A reservations of seats for SC/ST in the House of People."
Arjun Meghwal said that once the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is passed, the number of seats for women in Lok Sabha will increase to 181.
Discussion for passing of the Bill in the House will be taken up on Wednesday, September 20. The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21 government sources said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government is bringing a new Bill to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies and that God has given him the opportunity to take forward the task of women empowerment.
Members of Parliament on Tuesday proceeded to the new Parliament building after bidding farewell to the old building.
Women’s Reservation Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in 2010 and it was not taken up in Lok Sabha and lapsed in the lower House of Parliament.
