Parliament Highlights: Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha adjourned sine die

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan initiated the debate on the women's quota bill in the Rajya Sabha, stating, “We want rights. Women don’t want to be pitied.” Referring to the name of the Bill, 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,' Ranjan added, "Do not try to bow down to us, but provide equal rights and equal opportunities."

Lok Sabha will hold a discussion on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on Thursday during the special Parliament session, while Rajya Sabha will have a discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill, 2023. Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Bill in Rajya Sabha.

On the second-to-last day of the special Parliament Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked all the MPs in the Lok Sabha for their support in passing the Women's Reservation Bill, 2023, which grants one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies to women.

On NCP MP Supriya Sule says, “They did this in such a haste, in a special session. There was so much haste that it seemed that they could have done it in December (Winter Session). Even if they did it then, the outcome would have been the same...We are supporting it strongly. But it is a post-dated cheque because neither census nor delimitation has been done. Unless both of them are done it can't be implemented. It will perhaps be implemented in 2029, who knows?”

CPI MP P Santhosh Kumar criticised the BJP-led Centre on Thursday for the timing of the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament, saying that it has been done “in light of the elections next year”.

Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, “The Bill will be unanimously passed in the Rajya Sabha today. It was opposed by two MPs in Lok Sabha but everyone will support it in Rajya Sabha. But the thing is, every party has their own ideas. I would like to say that the implementation of this Bill should be in Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies too. The Bill says nothing about Puducherry but Delhi, there should be something about Puducherry as well. The biggest thing is when will the Bill come into effect. They (Centre) say 2029 but the Census was not carried out in 2021 and they didn't even show a willingness for the same later...Actually, they do not have the intentions of giving reservations to women, they are doing this in light of elections. But CPI has always been support of the reservation. So, CPI supports the Bill.”

Ahead of introduction of Women's Reservation Bill in the Upper House, after it was passed with a huge majority in the Lok Sabha, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi says, “The Congress government introduced this bill in 2010. This is our bill...The BJP's goal is to not implement the bill. The passing of the bill is one thing and implementation is another thing. This is just an election campaign...I am saying to this PM that you should not only give reservations to SCs, STs and OBCs but if you are so concerned for Muslim women. You should give them a reservation as well...This bill had to pass.”

On Women's Reservation Bill being brought in Rajya Sabha today, BJD MP Sasmit Patra says, “Our leader CM Naveen Patnaik and BJD has always had the commitment that the Women's Reservation Bill be passed in the Parliament...BJD has been making this effort for several years. It is a historic day. It will be passed in the Rajya Sabha and as per the instruction by our leader Naveen Patnaik, a three-line whip has been issued for MPs of BJD. All our MPs will be present in the Rajya Sabha and all of them will vote in favour of the passage of the Bill.” (ANI)

In Rajya Sabha, it will be brought through Supplementary Business as we were late in Lok Sabha yesterday. Lok Sabha Secretariat knows better about it. But I can tell you that discussion will be held in Rajya Sabha today: Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union law minister

The Central government is preparing to introduce the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. This bill aims to revoke certain legislations and address a minor drafting error in the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011. According to the list of Business,  Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal will present the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, which had already been approved by the Lok Sabha in July of this year. The bill is currently awaiting consideration in the Rajya Sabha. The minister will move the bill for deliberation and approval in the Upper House.

BJD (Biju Janata Dal) on Thursday issued a three-line Whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House today and support the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill. The historic Bill, termed as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, will now be taken up in Rajya Sabha for passage for the remainder of the session after it was passed with a huge majority in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha on Wednesday lauded the Women's Reservation Bill as a significant step toward ensuring greater and more meaningful participation of women in the political process. However, she expressed her disappointment at the omission of an "OBC sub-quota" from the proposed legislation, describing it as a source of pain.

Although the Women's Reservation Bill received widespread multi-party support and was passed with a substantial majority in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, opposition leaders raised concerns regarding the bill's implementation and its other provisions.

The Lok Sabha will on Thursday hold a discussion concerning the achievements of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Speaker Om Birla, just before adjourning the House for the day following the approval of the women's reservation bill, informed the members about the upcoming discussion on India's remarkable space journey and the success of the most recent lunar mission.

Rajya Sabha already addressed this topic during their session on Wednesday.