PM Modi Announces Women’s Reservation Bill In Lok Sabha, Says It Will Strengthen Democracy

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government introduced the new Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha of the new Parliament building here on Tuesday. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the first sitting of Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building. Arjun Ram Meghwal said that once the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is passed, the number of seats for women in Lok Sabha will increase to 181.

Discussion for passing of the Bill in the House will be taken up on Wednesday, September 20. The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21 government sources said. Earlier in his address in the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building, PM Modi said that The ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ will ensure more women become members of Parliament and the state legislative assemblies. 

“This is a moment of pride for all of us. Discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill happened for a long time. During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced several times but there was not enough majority to pass the Bill, and because of this this dream remained incomplete. Today, God has given me the opportunity to take this forward…Our government is bringing a new Bill today on Women’s participation in both Houses…” PM Modi said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech, said that God has given him the opportunity to take forward the task of women empowerment. Making his first speech in the new building of Parliament, the Prime Minister said the government has decided to bring Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

He said the Bill would strengthen democracy and appealed to members to pass it unanimously.  The Women Reservation Bill that seeks to guarantee 33 per quota for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies was introduced as the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill by the Union Law Minister.

This was the first agenda of the day taken up by the Lower House in the new Parliament building. The five-day special session of the Parliament began on Monday. 

Women’s Reservation Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in 2010 and it was not taken up in Lok Sabha and lapsed in the lower House of Parliament.