Parliament Special Session Highlights: Women's reservation bill passed by Lok Sabha

All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar during the discussion on Women's Reservation Bill on Wednesday in Lok Sabha said “West Bengal is the only state in the country which has a female chief minister. We are actually delighted to witness the realisation of our leader Mamata Banerjee's vision where women's rightful entitlements are being recognised.”

Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Women's Reservation Bill of 2023 in the Lok Sabha, expressing the government's willingness to consider any suggestions put forth during the discussion on the Bill.

This constitutional amendment bill, known as ‘Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, made its debut in the Lower House on Tuesday, marking the first bill to be introduced in the new Parliament building.

The legislation proposes a 33 percent reservation for women in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, it's important to note that this reservation will only take effect once the delimitation exercise has been completed.

During the debate on the Women's Reservation Bill of 2023, DMK MP Kanimozhi praised AIADMK leader late Jayalalithaa and a few other women leaders across the country, including former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and current West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

DMK MP Kanimozhi, while speaking about the Women's Reservation Bill of 2023 in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, said, "It took 13 years to introduce the Bill into the House."

She further asked, "How long should we wait for its implementation?"

"I myself have raised this issue of bringing the Reservation Bill many times in Parliament. To many of my starred and unstarred questions, the Govt's reply was very consistent. They said that they have to involve all stakeholders, political parties and then build a consensus before bringing the Bill. I would like to know what consensus was built. What discussions were held. This Bill was brought shrouded in secrecy. We did not know what this session was called for," Kanimozhi said.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said these on Women's Reservation bill in the Lok Sabha today

-"The Indian woman has patience like the ocean. She has worked for everyone's betterment like a river." 

-"On behalf of the Congress party, I stand in support of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023' (Women's Reservation Bill)."

-"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." 

After Congress leader Sonia Gandhi concluded her speech on Women's Reservation Bill,2023, Amit Shah said, “I want to tell Adhir (Ranjan Chowdhury) ji, that only women don't have to care for women's welfare. It is the tradition of this country that brothers look after the women. Everyone has the right to speak for women's welfare.”

As MPs complain about the technical issues in the new Parliament complex, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, “When you come to a new House, a new arrangement, there can be some shortcomings.” He further apologised for mic and other technical issues as MP’s complain, request if some days papers can be used atleast for a few days. 

Ahead of her speech in Lok Sabha about the Women's Reservation Bill, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said, “It was Rajiv ji's (Gandhi's) dream (Bill).”

The Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to introduce three new articles and one new clause.

The new Clause 239AA outlines several provisions for the reservation of seats for women. Specifically, it mandates that one-third of seats reserved for scheduled castes (SC) must also be reserved for women. Additionally, one-third of the total number of seats filled by direct elections will be reserved for women in various legislative bodies, including the Delhi legislative assembly.

In the context of the newly introduced Article 330A, it extends the reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. It stipulates that one-third of seats reserved for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha shall also be reserved for women. Moreover, one-third of the total seats filled by direct elections to the Lok Sabha will be reserved for women candidates.

Article 332A, another recent addition, addresses the reservation of seats for women in every state Legislative Assembly. It mandates that one-third of seats reserved for SCs and STs in state Legislative Assemblies shall also be reserved for women. Furthermore, one-third of the total seats filled by direct elections to these Legislative Assemblies will be reserved for women.

A new provision, Article 334A, specifies that the implementation of these reservations shall take effect after the delimitation process following the publication of relevant figures from the first census. The rotation of seats for women will occur after each subsequent delimitation exercise.

Both Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, began proceedings on day-2 of the special session of Parliament. Discussion to be continued on Women's Reservation Bill that was introduced on Tuesday.

Speaking about the absence of the words "secular" and "socialist" from the copies of the constitution provided to MPs, Congress leader Neeraj Dangi criticized the BJP-led Centre, asserting that the party has consistently worked to divide the nation. He also emphasised that the Congress party will refrain from making baseless allegations, stating, "This time, the people of this nation have understood the BJP. That is why they introduced the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha."

Congress MP Manickam Tagore took a swipe  at Modi-led Centre on Wednesday regarding the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill, saying it took 13 years for the Bill to come to the Lok Sabha, and the present introduction can be attributed to next year's elections.

"We welcome the Women's Reservation Bill. We all know it was a long pending thing...It has taken 13 years to come to Lok Sabha now. At last, the elections are here, therefore, PM Modi will always do these kinds of Jumlas near to the elections for that he has brought the bill here," he said. (ANI)

DMK MP Kanimozhi has given notice for an amendment in the Women’s Reservation Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, day-1 of the Parliament's special session. The amendment is related to the clause 5 of the Constitution(128th) Amendment Bill, 2023. The amendment proposes to remove the condition of Census and Delimitation to be completed before the implementation of the present bill and calls for immediate implementation of the women’s reservation.

CPI (M) MP Elamaram Kareem like other Opposition leaders, criticised the timing of the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill saying,“CPI(M) welcomes the Women's Reservation Bill. The Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha in 2010, but could not pass in Lok Sabha. After nine years, they are bringing the Bill. If they are very sincere, they should have brought it earlier. In this Bill, the Section says it will be enforced after the Census and delimitation as per the new Census. It may take several years. This is aiming the next elections and only for political gains.” (PTI)

RJD MP Manoj Jha, speaking about the Women's Reservation Bill ahead of day-2 of the special Parliament session said,“Why was this Bill not passed in 2010? Because it was a consensus among the ones who were opposing the Bill that it is a hollow bill until you give it a rainbow framework. Meaning until you include OBC, ST and SC in it. The interesting thing is that there is no clarity on when it will be implemented...This is a post-dated commitment from somebody who has failed.” (ANI)

On the Women's Reservation Bill, Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Bill is not new, as it was passed in 2010 during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, but the Lok Sabha failed to pass it.

“In 2010, we had passed the Bill in Rajya Sabha. But it failed to be passed by the Lok Sabha. That is why, this is not a new Bill. Had they taken that Bill forward, it would have been done quickly by this day...I feel that they are publicising this in view of elections but actually unless the delimitation or census takes place...you can feel how long it is going to take. They could have continued with the earlier one but their intentions are something else...But we will insist that women's reservation has to be brought and we will fully cooperate. But the loopholes and drawbacks should be rectified,” Kharge said. (ANI)

As day-2 of the Parliament session will begin in an hour, Congress leader Kodikunnil Suresh said, “Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of INDIA alliance at 10 am today. In that meeting, we will have a detailed discussion over Women's Reservation Bill, 2023.”

Regarding the Women's Reservation Bill, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said that they support the move but questioned why it was not passed in 2010 when it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.

“I challenge that if BJP's policy and intention are honest, then give a guarantee that women will get a reservation in 2024 elections - we will stand with you with all our strength. Are the Backward and SC, not women? How will you go for women's reservation without including them? I only say that if you were honest, the 2010 Bill that was passed by the Rajya Sabha is still there - you should have passed that in the Lok Sabha and started the reservation,” Tiwari said. (ANI)

Actor-politician Kamal Hassan took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday to applaud the Women's Reservation Bill that was introduced during the first day of the special Parliament Session. “A landmark day in the history of our Republic, as the seat of our democracy moved into its new home. I’m delighted that the first Bill tabled in this new Parliament corrects a longstanding injustice perpetrated against the largest minority in our nation, the women of India. I wholeheartedly applaud the Women Reservation Bill tabled yesterday. Nations that ensure gender equality will always prosper,” Hassan said. 

However he raised some concerns regarding the Bill asking the parties to address them in the discussion during the Parliament session, 

"The Bill comes into effect only after the next census and delimitation exercise, both of which have been delayed in the past. This delayed implementation timeline risks making this momentous decision into mere lip service towards the subject and must be done away with.

The Bill only applies to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and must be extended to Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils." Kamal Hassan wrote.

He further said, “I look forward to the day when women will have proportional representation in legislative bodies without the aid of any affirmative action.”

Several political parties that had opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill since it was first introduced have said that they disagree with the fundamentals of the Bill as it does not account for representation of women from marginalised communities.

The parties which opposed the Bill include the Samajwadi Party (SP), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP).

The SP, under Mulayam Singh Yadav and later Akhilesh Yadav, opposed the bill, concerned about its impact on the representation of marginalised communities. The RJD, led by Lalu Prasad Yadav, believed it would benefit some while depriving others. Mayawati’s BSP expressed similar reservations, calling for consideration of Dalit and marginalised women.

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Wednesday said, “BJP and Prime Minister have given a portfolio for her to abuse Congress party and Gandhis. She is doing that duty to appease her master.”

Earlier speaking about the Women's Reservation Bill, Union minister Smriti Irani criticised Congress saying, “Gandhi Family is only interested in empowering the women in their family. They are not interested in empowering the women in poor or Dalit women. It is unfortunate that Sonia Gandhi was absent today. Her son also left when the discussion on the bill was underway. it is even more unfortunate that when the Speaker asked who supported the bill, BJP and NDA supported it but the Congress party did not.”

Similar to the remarks made by other Opposition leaders regarding the newly introduced Women's Reservation Bill, Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday said, “There is no clarity,” and raised doubts about the Centre's willingness to implement the Bill.

Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, the minister for sports and youth affairs in the Tamil Nadu government said,"It seems they (Centre) are not going to implement it (draft women's reservation law) for the time being. For the last 10 years, we have been demanding such a law. They are saying that they will only do a census and delimitation exercise for now. There is no clarity on when they would implement it."

Earlier on Tuesday, Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister Kapil Sibal, also questioned the implementation of the proposed law, stating that any such Bill or draft legislation can only become law after a census and delimitation exercise.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s women's unit president in Karnataka Kushala Swamy, on Tuesday said the Centre's tabling of the 'Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam, or women's reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha was a “fraudulent move” that makes women look stupid.

“This is a Bill that makes women look stupid. A careful reading of the provisions of the Bill reveals the BJP's fraud,” ANI quoted Kushala Swamy saying.

“Even if the constitutional amendment Bill to reserve one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is passed, women will not get reservations in 2024 elections,” she added.

Ahead of the second day of the Parliament's special session on Wednesday, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “The new copies of the Constitution that were given to us today (19th September), the one we held in our hands and entered (the new Parliament building), its Preamble doesn't have the words 'socialist secular'. We know that the words were added after an amendment in 1976 but if someone gives us the Constitution today and it doesn't have those words, it is a matter of concern...Their intention is suspicious. It has been done cleverly. It is a matter of concern for me. I tried to raise this issue but I did not get an opportunity to raise this issue.” (ANI)