Parliament special session live: Amit Shah likely to speak on Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha

"Delighted at the passage of The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha with such phenomenal support. I thank MPs across Party lines who voted in support of this Bill. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is a historic legislation which will further boost women empowerment and will enable even greater participation of women in our political process," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.

After the passage of the historic Women's Reservation Bill, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 11 am on September 21. The legislation, which proposes a quota of 33 percent in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, was passed with 454 MPs voting in its favour and 2 voting against it, citing the bill's clauses.

The Lok Sabha has passed the motion concerning the Women's Reservation Bill and is now taking up clauses of the Bill

--The historic Bill proposes 33 percent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and Assemblies of State and National Capital Territory of Delhi. Similar reservation will also be provided within the seats reserved for SC and ST.

--The Bill proposes that the reservation will continue for 15 years.

--Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each delimitation.

--The government has already said that as per existing law, the next delimitation exercise may be conducted after the first census to be taken after the year 2026. Keeping all these in mind, implementation can take place not before 2029.

454 MPs vote in favour of the bill, 2 vote against the bill.

In a historic move, Lok Sabha passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill), granting 33% seats to women in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

On Women's Reservation Bill, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal says, "....Sushma Swaraj ji had said that this development journey is incomplete without the representation of women in it..."

"In all 3 categories, we have done 33% reservation for women. 1/3rd reservations of seats are to be given, hence, the delimitation process is important. Transparency is the reason behind delimitation."

Whether you support it or not, it (Women’s Reservation Bill) will come after 2029. Census and Delimitation will be done immediately after elections are held and the day will come soon when seats will be reserved for women (in Parliament): Home Minister Amit Shah

"...This is the fifth attempt to bring the Women's quota bill. From Devegowda to Manmohan Singh, four attempts were made to bring this bill...what was the reason this bill was not passed?..." says Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Women's Reservation Bill

For some parties, women's empowerment can be a political issue, while for others, it can be a tool to win elections. But for the BJP and PM Modi, women's empowerment is not a political issue, it's a matter of recognition.

"We are not doing any politics on the Bill. We are concerned about the welfare of women in this country"

The discussion is about transfer of power to the people of India. Women being one group of people of India and OBC community being another group of people of India. 5 percent representation to the OBC community in the government is an insult to them: Rahul Gandhi

The Bill needs to be corrected. There’s no requirement of census and delimitation to implement the Bill: Rahul Gandhi

--'You can’t see the people from OBC at the top positions in India, who control budgets and handle policies. Government doesn’t want caste census to come up and keep running away from it'

--This is nice building with peacock themed carpets and interior, but I would have loved to see President Murmu inaugurating it. She’s a woman, represents tribal community. Above all she’s President of the nation: Rahul Gandhi
--The government likes to distract from Adani and keeps coming up with new tactics. They like to distract people from caste census
--When I look at the institutes of our county and the numbers of participation of people from OBC is very less. Of the top 90 secretaries of our country, only 3 are from OBC

"I know my friends (members of treasury benches) tend to divert attention of people as there are many issues and Adani is one of them'

In my view this Bill tabled by the Centre is incomplete. I would have loved to see government making provisions for women from OBC. Large of chunk of India’s women should have access to this reservation and that’s missing: Rahul Gandhi

There are two factors that seem strange to me, one is you require census to implement this bill and second is the delimitation. This Bill can be implemented today by giving 33% reservation to the women in Lok Sabha and legislative assmebly: Rahul Gandhi

--In June 2023 US and India signed Artemis Accord which is a multilateral spaces mission to send humans on moon

--Bureaucratic reforms is facilitating space sector to Move faster, not obstructing it

--Space policy is promoting power of Scientific community

--Over 140 registered space tech startups are there currently
--Space policy aims To institutionalise private sector in space

--ISRO is working on Space based observatory for observing sun
-- Aditya 1 mission was launched in Sep 2023 and has 7 payloads
--Indian Institute of Astrophysics has contributed towards it

Speaking in Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says Indian women scientists of Chandrayaan 3 have contributed significantly and will inspire generations to come.

--Over 100 women staff including scientists contributed in Chandrayaan 3
--The glass ceiling is broken and empowerment of women scientists can be seen in ISRO
--The women reservation bill is necessary for political empowerment
--Political empowerment of women is needed similar to Scientific empowerment of women

2008 Chandrayaan 1 discovered presence of water on moon surface was extraordinary, says Nirmala Sitharaman

--"Success of Chandrayaan 3 will have a big positive impact on India’s satellite and technology ecosystem. India has Launched 431 satellites for 34 countries via ISRO"

--"ISRO chose a path to reach moon to Do it cost effectively using lesser fuel and serve sustainability"

--"Innovation intertwined with sustainability has been achieved by ISRO"

--"For the first time moon's Density, ionosphere, temperature has been recorded at its south pole"
--"Today ISRO scientists are recognized by people of India, they have studied from tier 2, 3 cities of the world"

On Women's Reservation Bill, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, "The Bill should be passed...It is our duty to give suggestions apart from supporting the Bill. We want to give suggestions to the govt...Nobody opposed the Bill in the Parliament..."

On Women's Reservation Bill, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, "The Bill should be passed...It is our duty to give suggestions apart from supporting the Bill. We want to give suggestions to the govt...Nobody opposed the Bill in the Parliament..."

Urging the Opposition to back the bill, the minister said: "We have made women count. And it is time for you to step up in the opposition, and not mere reduce your words to paper, to speech, but speak with action and support Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam."

-- Women's reservation Bill a sham
-- Question of women's reservation requires action not the placeboo on legislatively mandated procrastination.
-- To the government and ruling party, I say this -- give us this day our equal rights..."
-- TMC has already sent more women MPs to Parliament than this Bill envisions.
--When this government wanted to protect the cows -- and I support the move, make no mistake, you did not wait to count numbers... our we women any less that we have to wait till you count numbers, draw lines? What we need is direct action
-- Honourable Prime Minister this is your moment to show us Modi hai to mumkin hai... send 33% women to Parliament in 2024, support us unreservedly

The TMC MP argued why the Bill should wait for government to “count numbers” and “draw lines”. “Prime Minister this is your moment to show us Modi hai to mumkin hai… send 33% women to Parliament in 2024, support us unreservedly.”

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav asked if the 33% reservation for women would also be implemented in the Rajya Sabha and state Legislative Councils.

Responding to the Opposition's demands over the women's quota Bill, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "When you are giving reservations, one is the policy-based decision which would be done after amending the Constitution. And the other, is to implement this reservation on the ground, its procedure is also given in the Constitution and law. The Delimitation is prohibited until 2026 which needs to be done...The big question is that do you want it or not?"

It's important to understand that not every decision in Parliament is made with an eye on the polls. It undergoes several phases before implementation, The last census took place in 2001, and the government faced challenges in conducting a new one, with COVID being one of them. Delimitation cannot be based on outdated numbers, and generating additional seats is not feasible: MoS C&I Anupriya Patel in the Lok Sabha

The House was adjourned till 2 pm, it was discussing achievements in India's space exploration.

The House was adjourned till 2 pm, it was discussing achievements in India's space exploration.

In response to Nishikant Dubey's statement that INDIA is on the side of people who ran women down, Sule said a BJP head in Maharashtra told her on record on TV, "Supriya Sule, go home, cook food, someone else will run the country." What will the party say about this mindset? A cabinet minister used derogatory words against me. BJP must reply as to why their leaders make personal comments on elected women representatives, she said.

Sule said BJP took an anticipatory bail by putting Nishikant Dubey as the lead speaker on Women’s Reservation Bill. "Dubey’s statement that opposition will ask reservation for OBC, of course we will."

BSP's Sangeeta Azad in her Lok Sabha debate said women have come a long way from homemakers to kingmakers, pushing for representation of SC, ST, OBCs and wishing this is not an election gimmick.

-- Delimitation is the process through which boundaries of parliamentary or Assembly constituencies are drawn.
-- Number of seats allocated to each state in the Lower House of Parliament is dependent on its population.

-- Constitution calls for the reallocation of seats after every Census. Last such exercise was carried out after the 1971 Census and according to the Constitution 84th Amendment) Act, 2002 there is a freeze on readjustment of constituencies till the first Census after 2026.

-- Census will take place in 2024 and the publication of numbers will take one or two years. It will be after this delimitation exercise will be done, meaning the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, even if passed now by the Lok Sabha, won’t happen before 2029.

-- Delimitation is the process through which boundaries of parliamentary or Assembly constituencies are drawn.
-- Number of seats allocated to each state in the Lower House of Parliament is dependent on its population.

-- Constitution calls for the reallocation of seats after every Census. Last such exercise was carried out after the 1971 Census and according to the Constitution 84th Amendment) Act, 2002 there is a freeze on readjustment of constituencies till the first Census after 2026.

-- Census will take place in 2024 and the publication of numbers will take one or two years. It will be after this that the delimitation exercise is carried out – meaning the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, even if passed now by the Lok Sabha, won’t happen before 2029.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP has extended their support to the Women's Reservation Bill .

Questioning the timing of the Bill, TMC MP Kakoli Ghoshi Dastidar said if the ruling party was so concerned for women, why doesn't it take action against Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexual assault by wrestlers.

TMC's Kakoli Ghoshi said in her state there are already reservations for women, as instituted by CM Mamata Banerjee. "We have more women ministers than anywhere else in the country," she said.

The DMK MP Kanimozhi asked why the implementation of women's quota Bill should be connected to delimitation, seeking clarity on the conditions in quota Bill and the state-wise break up.

The DMK leader that Bill was shrouded in secrecy. "No consensus was build on this Bill. We didn’t know why the special session was called," she said, adding that her party feared women from many sections and states may be underrepresented.

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi was heckled by some BJP MPs to which she said, "Is this your respect for women. Shame!"

BJP’s Nishikant Dubey criticised Sonia Gandhi for asking immediate implementation of the Bill, saying the country works as per the constitution and all laws are supposed to be considered.

-- It is difficult to gauge the extent of patience of women; they never think of taking rest
--It was great to see when my husband Rajiv Gandhi brought laws to ensure seats for women are reserved in the polls at grassroots level
-- OBCs should be included in this Bill
-- Delay in implementing the Women's Reservation Bill would be a grave injustice to Indian women

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Opposition will fully cooperate with the debate on the Women's Reservation Bill while questioning the "intentions" of Centre in bringing the same. Kharge alleged the Bill is timed with polls, adding that loopholes and drawbacks should be rectified.

DMK MP Kanimozhi has given notice for an amendment in the Women’s Reservation Bill related to the clause 5 of the Constitution(128th) Amendment Bill, 2023 to remove the condition of Census and Delimitation to be completed before the implementation of the bill, calling for immediate implementation of the women’s reservation.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said it took 13 years for the Bill to come to the Lok Sabha, and the present introduction can be attributed to next year's elections. "We welcome the Women's Reservation Bill. We all know it was a long pending thing...It has taken 13 years to come to Lok Sabha now. At last, the elections are here, therefore, PM Modi will always do these kinds of Jumlas near to the elections for that he has brought the bill here."

Union Minister Smriti Irani said the Gandhi family was "only interested in empowering the women in their family. They are not interested in empowering the women in poor or Dalit women."

Trinamool Congress' Sougata Roy has submitted amendment seeking quota within quota for OBC women in Women's Reservation Bill

For Women’s Reservation Bill to go through, a lot depends on the decennial Census exercise that has been delayed since 2021.

-- Arjun Ram Meghwal for Ministry of Law and Justice
-- Danve Raosaheb Dadarao for Ministry of Railways
-- Niranjan Jyoti for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
-- Meenakashi Lekhi for Ministry of Culture; and Subhas Sarkar for Ministry of Education

The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief said he looks forward to the day when women will have proportional representation in legislative bodies without the aid of any affirmative action

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who quit the Congress three years ago, was seen yesterday having an animated chat with former president of the party Sonia Gandhi and sitting next to her at a function held in the Central Hall of the old Parliament building.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be the lead speaker of the party for the debate on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha

-- A third of seats shall be reserved for women in Legislative Assemblies, including Delhi -- One-third of seats shall be reserved for women in Lok Sabha
-- One-third of seats earmarked for SCs and STs will be reserved for women in Lok Sabha and Assemblies
-- Quota after delimitation and relevant figures of the first Census taken
-- Seats reserved for women to continue till such date as the Parliament may by law determine
-- Rotation of seats reserved for women shall take effect after each subsequent exercise of delimitation as Parliament may by law determine

Congress's Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised concerns about a possible attack on the democratic integrity of India, saying that the new copies of the Constitution given to lawmakers did not have the words 'socialist secular' in the Preamble.

In a resolution passed by the party at the CWC meeting in Hyderabad last week, Congress backed the caste census and sought a hike in the existing 50 per cent cap on SC, ST and OBC quotas as fixed by SC

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is holding a meeting with all MPs and Union Ministers from Karnataka in Delhi over the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. This comes after the Cauvery Water Management Authority directed Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days.

BSP chief Mayawati said her party would not support the Bill if women from SC, ST, and OBC communities were not brought under its ambit.

Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal on the women's Bill said, "at the earliest, this will kick in for the 2029 elections. If it isn’t applicable immediately, this is just another headline management stunt by the Modi government."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in his address yesterday pointed to the inclusion of backward classes in the Bill. “Backward classes ko isme thodi si aage peeche hone ka sambhav isliye hai ki unless Constitutional amendment one-third backward ko dene ka nahi hota … toh naturally, wahan ke mahilao ko nahin milta. Agar aap nahi karenge toh sirf un backward classes ko anyay hoga," he said

While most parties, including Congress, won't oppose the Bill, the Opposition is set to demand reservation for OBCs during the discussion on the Bill

Parties are not happy with contours of the Bill as the implementation date, they say, was kept vague. No quota for backward classes could also be another discussion point

Kushala Swamy, AAP's women's unit chief in Karnataka, said women's reservation Bill in was 'fradulent'. "Even if the constitutional amendment Bill to reserve one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is passed, women will not get reservations in 2024 elections," she added.

The senior BJP leader demanded half the seats in the women's quota be reserved for SC/STs and OBCs, and backward class, adding that women from Muslim community should also get benefit.

Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress’s floor leader in the Lok Sabha, stressed on unemployment and poverty that remain unaddressed during the debate on Day 1

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge evoked strong protest after he said parties do not give tickets to women from weaker sections.

-- It is called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
-- Aims to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and
assemblies.
-- can only come into effect after delimitation exercise is done
-- Bill cannot be implemented before 2024 Lok Sabha elections
-- Delimitation exercise can only be conducted after the first census to be taken post
2026. This effectively means bill cannot become a law until 2027.
-- Some reports suggest it may happen around 2029 Lok Sabha elections
- Once it becomes an Act, law will be in force for 15 years. Its term can be extended.
- Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each delimitation exercise

The bill does not include reservation for OBCs, a demand over which parties such as SP and RJD opposed it for decades.

Women MPs constitute less than 15 percent of the Lok Sabha and their representation is even below 10 percent in many Assemblies. Data from December 2022 reveals that several Assemblies have less than 10 percent women representation, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, and Puducherry.

As per the 128th Amendment Bill 2023, as nearly as maybe, one-third (including the seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election to the House of People shall be reserved for women

Like 2010 Bill, the bill introduced has a sunset clause, mandating that reservation will be for a period of 15 years from the date of commencement of the Act.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be the lead speaker from her party for the debate when the Lok Sabha will take up the Women's Reservation Bill for discussion today.

Centre says the Bill will be effective only after a Census and delimitation exercise is done post-enactment of the bill. Calling it a poll jumla, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wondered if Census and delimitation will be done before the 2024 elections as Centre had not yet conducted 2021 decadal Census.

Former law minister and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily said by bringing the bill at the last minute, the BJP thinks they can get some political advantage for 2024 elections.