E-Paper
SC notice to Centre on PIL seeking revival of ‘Women’s Reservation Bill’
Raising the matter in March this year, a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari directed the Centre to file a response within six weeks and gave three additional weeks to the petitioner to respond to the affidavit to be filed by the Ministry of Law and Justice
The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday sought a response from the Central government on public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the National Federation of Indian Women seeking the revival of the ‘Women’s Reservation Bill’ that lapsed in Parliament eight years ago.
Raising the matter in March this year, a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari directed the Centre to file a response within six weeks and gave three additional weeks to the petitioner to respond to the affidavit to be filed by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
“Patriarchal mindset of our society has led to the oppression of women denying them their rightful status as equals. This can only be changed if women are placed in positions of authority to effectively bring about such alterations,” read the PIL drafted by advocate Prashant Bhushan representing the petitioner.
“The non-introduction of the Bill is arbitrary, illegal and is leading to discrimination,” the plea read. “Although equality of the sexes is enshrined in the Constitution, it has not become a reality even in the 75th year of Indian independence. Women represent almost 50% of the population of India but their representation in the Parliament is only about 14%,” it stated.
The evils of misogyny that exhibit in the form of rapes, outraging of modesty, eve-teasing, honour killings etc. stem from the false notion of male superiority and authority over women and until such authority is not granted to women through concrete measures such as including more women in the Parliament, there will be no effective change in the present set up, further reads the petition.
Observing that it is an “important issue”, the same bench in its September 5 order had directed the petitioner to provide a copy of the petition to the Centre as well. On Friday (Nov 4), the bench issued a notice to the Centre and sought its stand.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008, known as the ‘Women’s Reservation Bill’ was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010. However, the bill lapsed in 2014 after the 15th Lok Sabha got dissolved.
