The Women's Quota Bill has passed an important hurdle in the Lok Sabha, bringing it one step closer to becoming law. This is a big moment because it's the first time the bill has successfully made its way through the Lok Sabha.
The bill, which aims to reserve 33% of seats in both the Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies for women, was discussed and approved in the Lok Sabha after some intense debates. What's noteworthy is that it's now moving forward to the next stage after being cleared in the lower house.
Here's a breakdown of what happened:
1. There was a special five-day session in the new Parliament to celebrate India's 75 years of independence, and during this session, the bill was approved through a voice vote.
2. The bill received support from 454 MPs, with only two MPs opposing it. Now, it's headed to the Rajya Sabha for further consideration.
3. The bill's implementation depends on population and census data, and there's a provision to review these figures every ten years. This provision helped address concerns raised by some opposition members.
4. Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the process of collecting population data and conducting a census will start after the upcoming general elections.
5. This is the first time the Women's Quota Bill has successfully passed in the Lok Sabha. An earlier bill drafted by the UPA government in 2008 faced opposition before finally being approved in the Rajya Sabha.
6. Mr. Shah accused the opposition of not being enthusiastic about pushing the bill forward and instead engaging in political tactics.
7. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi initiated the discussion, highlighting that the bill had previously received recommendations for approval during the UPA government's tenure.
8. She emphasized that women should not have to wait for many more years for this bill to become law, stressing the need for immediate implementation. She also advocated for reservation for women in SC, ST, and OBC communities.
9. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party shared his surprise that it took so long for the bill to progress and suggested that it should have been enacted earlier.
This development represents a significant step toward achieving gender equality in India's political landscape.
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