The Women’s Reservation Bill that seeks to give 33 per cent of quota to women in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies has been tabled in the Parliament. Known as the “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023”, was introduced in the new building of the Parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Introducing the Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that while several attempts were made to bring the women’s quota bill in the past, god has given him the opportunity to take this forward. Speaking from the floor of the new Lok Sabha chamber, Prime Minister Modi said that the world has recognised the women-led development process in country.
Here are the fine prints of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023:
- The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023 seeks to reserve 33 per cent of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies.
- Of the total 33 per cent reserved seats, one-third of the seats will be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies.
- These 33 per cent seats shall be allotted to women by rotation to different constituencies in the state or the Union Territory.
- However, this reservation will cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this Amendment.
- The 33 per cent reservation for women as proposed under this bill shall come into effect only after the delimitation exercise, which aims to redraw the existing constituencies.
- As per the Article 82 of the Constitution, the next delimitation exercise shall be conducted after the first Census post-2026.
- While the Census 2021 could not be carried out due to Covid, it may take place in 2027. This means 33 per cent quota for women in the Lok Sabha and other state legislative assemblies shall be implemented after the 2027 Census.