Will Women Finally Get Their Due? PM Modi's Bold Move for 33% Reservation in Parliament!
Government's Commitment to Women's Empowerment
New Delhi: On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the current Budget Session of Parliament will be extended by three days—April 16, 17, and 18. This extension aims to expedite the implementation of a 33% reservation for women in both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, set to take effect from the 2029 general elections.
In a passionate address focused on empowering women, PM Modi emphasized the government's commitment to passing the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', which aims to secure one-third of legislative seats for women.
He stated, “We aspire for our sisters to occupy 33% of the seats in Parliament starting with the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.”
The Prime Minister outlined that the special session will concentrate on establishing the necessary statutory and constitutional measures to enforce this quota. He highlighted two main goals for the upcoming three-day session.
Firstly, he assured that no state would lose Lok Sabha seats due to population control measures, addressing concerns from southern states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Goa, which have excelled in family planning and fear a decrease in representation.
Secondly, the government is contemplating the introduction of women-reserved seats as 'additional seats', which would increase the total number of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats. This approach aims to maintain current representation while creating more opportunities for women.
PM Modi called for unanimous backing from all political factions, urging the Congress and other opposition parties, including those in the INDIA bloc, to engage constructively.
He remarked, “The rights of our mothers and sisters have been pending for almost 40 years. We cannot afford to delay this again for the 2029 elections.”
The Prime Minister also encouraged women nationwide to advocate for the swift passage of this legislation without political hindrances.
He assured that necessary amendments would be proposed to guarantee the law's provisions are enacted in time for the next general elections, describing this initiative as crucial for promoting 'Nari Shakti' and fostering inclusive development.
This announcement follows the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill during a special parliamentary session in September 2023, which was previously tied to the completion of the Census and a subsequent delimitation process.
The proposed adjustments aim to accelerate the implementation of the quota without unnecessary delays. Additionally, increasing the total number of seats is being considered to ensure that no current MP is negatively impacted while enhancing women's representation.
This announcement is anticipated to spark in-depth discussions during the special session, with the opposition likely to raise concerns regarding sub-quotas for OBC women and the broader implications of delimitation.
If achieved through consensus, this three-day session could represent a pivotal advancement in enhancing women's representation within India's legislative framework.