In a resolute endorsement of the Women’s Reservation Bill, a longstanding and pivotal legislative initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has characterized its impending passage as an “agni pareeksha,” an ordeal by fire, for Members of Parliament (MPs). This pronouncement emerged during a recent Cabinet meeting where the bill received the green light, according to senior government sources disclosed to NDTV.
The bill, which aims to secure a 33% reservation for women in both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, is slated for introduction in Parliament by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday.
Insiders have revealed that the bill is expected to encompass a provision reserving one-third of women’s seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The presence of this sub-quota has historically impeded the bill’s passage in Parliament, despite its endorsement by the Rajya Sabha in 2010.
Forecasts suggest that the earliest implementation of the bill could materialize by 2027, coinciding with the completion of Census and delimitation exercises. Furthermore, it is expected that the bill will include provisions for the periodic rotation of reserved seats for women, akin to existing practices in panchayat polls, where gender-based reservations are already in effect.
The genesis of this legislative pursuit dates back to 1996 when the Deve Gowda government first initiated efforts to reserve 33% of seats for women. Subsequently, the UPA government reintroduced the legislation, officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, in 2008.
Despite its passage by the Rajya Sabha in 2010, the bill never saw the light of day in the 15th Lok Sabha, ultimately lapsing following the dissolution of that parliamentary session in 2014.
Government insiders affirm that the forthcoming legislation, set to be tabled on Tuesday, is distinct from the 2010 version and consequently necessitates the approval of both Houses of Parliament. A senior official has affirmed that it is, indeed, a constitutional amendment bill.
While the BJP and Congress have consistently lent their support to the bill, opposition has arisen from parties such as the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, advocating for an intra-quota for Dalits and backward classes. In the run-up to the special session, several political outfits, including the Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, have championed the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Asked about the bill’s status as she entered Parliament on Tuesday, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi remarked, “It is ours, apna hai.”