By Amit Mani Tripathi
The Union Cabinet, in a momentous decision, has granted its approval for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, sources confirmed to ABP News. This significant development after a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which took place following the commencement of Parliament’s five-day special session. The session was heralded earlier in the day by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who promised "historical decisions."
The Women’s Reservation Bill proposes the reservation of 33 percent, or one-third, of all seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. Additionally, the bill suggests sub-reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Anglo-Indians within the 33 percent quota. The bill further proposes that reserved seats should be rotated after each general election.
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A series of significant meetings transpire prior to the Cabinet gathering. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened with various ministers in a meeting held in the office of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. Present in this assembly were prominent ministers such as Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav, Anurag Thakur, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and V. Muraleedharan.
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Demand For Passage Of Women’s Reservation Bill In All-Party Meeting
On the eve of the special session, various political parties, both from the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc, vociferously advocated for the passage of the women’s reservation bill. The government assured parliamentarians during an all-party meeting that an appropriate decision would be made at the right time. In the same meeting, the government formally announced its intention to relocate to the new Parliament building on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
While the Congress and its leader, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, pressed for discussions on issues such as caste census, inflation, unemployment, the border dispute with China, the situation in Manipur. , and alleged social conflicts, the resounding call for legislating reserved seats for women in elected bodies stood out. BJP ally and NCP leader Praful Patel, along with the Congress, its allies, and unaligned parties like the BRS, TDP, and BJD, urged the government to make history on this momentous occasion. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) highlighted the substantial representation of women MPs in West Bengal’s ruling party, lending its support to the bill, news agency PTI reported.
As Parliament moves to its new building, BJD MP Pinaki Misra proclaimed the dawn of a new era and emphasized the significance of ensuring women’s reservation, citing Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s long-standing support for the idea. Praful Patel expressed optimism about the bill’s passage with consensus. Meanwhile, regional parties like the RJD and the Samajwadi Party advocated for quotas for backward castes, SCs, and STs within any women’s reservation legislation.
When asked about this demand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi downplayed it, citing the common occurrence of parties making various demands during all-party meetings. He said, "The government will take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time", as quoted by PTI.
It’s worth noting that a similar bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010, reserving one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, it was never taken up in the Lok Sabha and lapsed with the dissolution of the Lower House.
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