Parliament Session Live: PM Narendra Modi poses for a group photograph with women MPs after the Women's Reservation Bill was passed in both Houses of the Parliament on September 21. (ANI)Special Session of Parliament 2023 Highlights (September 21): The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the historic Bill that will reserve one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, following thorough debate among MPs across party lines. The Bill was passed with majority voting by all the members of the House: 215 votes in favour and no one against it. Concluding the discussion on the Bill — the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “This bill will lead to a new confidence in the people of the country. It also shows the positive thinking of all the political parties which will give new energy to women’s empowerment.”
A day earlier, clearing the decks for the landmark legislation, the Lok Sabha Wednesday had passed the women’s reservation Bill with near unanimity: 454 votes in favour and two from the AIMIM against it. Wrapping up a discussion on the Bill, Union Home Minister Shah had assured the Lower House of a “transparent process” to identify seats to be reserved for women.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, early today, thanked MPs across party lines for voting in favour of the women’s reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “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.”
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, holding the Constitution of India, with party MP Rahul Gandhi and other Parliamentarians walks towards the new Parliament building, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. (PTI Photo)
Voting on the women’s reservation Bill is currently underway in the Rajya Sabha
Concluding the discussion on women's reservation Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday said, “This bill will lead to a new confidence in the people of the country. It also shows the positive thinking of all the political parties which will give new energy to women’s empowerment.”
While the Minister of Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal, started speaking on the women's reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked into the Upper House, where MPs welcomed him by raising slogans of 'Modi, Modi'.
Leader of the Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, while speaking on the women's reservation Bill, said, 'We are giving our unconditional support to the bill and it will be passed (in Rajya Sabha) but make sure this doesn't turn into an election 'jumla'.'
Beginning his speech, Kharge said, 'I support the Women's Reservation Bill from my heart. My party heartily supports the Bill.'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, while speaking on the women's reservation Bill, explained why the category of OBCs is excluded from the Bill.
"There is no specific mention of electoral reservation in the Constitution for OBCs, as it is mentioned for the SCs and the STs. That is why, this Bill which brings in the amendment... deals with the General category, the SC and the ST category, provided by the Constitution. So there is no ambiguity in our mind," Sitharaman told the Upper House.
Reservation for women is to come into effect only after the next Census and the delimitation process that follows, with the government arguing that this is needed to ensure fair distribution of quota. The next delimitation, changing the number of seats in Parliament and state Assemblies, is slotted for 2026.
In Independent India’s history, delimitation has taken place four times – 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002.
Here's a look at how they changed the political landscape.
The 'Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has consistently supportive of wome's reservation,' Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
"In women-related matters, we (BJP) do not play any politics. It is an article of faith for the PM and therefore we do everything that we have done whether it is Article 370, triple talaq, or women's reservation bill," Sitharaman said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, speaking on women's reservation Bill, said, "I want to credit former PM PV Narasimha Rao's government for bringing 33 per cent reservation at the panchayat level."
"As a result, we have seen a groundswell at panchayat level where reservation has been increased to 50 percent at several panchayats showing the contribution of women," Sitharaman said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, while speaking on the women’s reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, responding to the question of why did it take the Centre nine-long years to bring in the Bill now, and that the new Bill aims to conduct a fresh delimitation exercise post-Census.
“It is important that we build consensus, and also show that we are committed for the economic, social empowerment of women as well," she said. She continued, “After the Bill is enacted, and comes into operation, and thereafter that, the first Census takes place, and the relevant figures for that Census are published, a fresh delimitation exercise shall be undertaken.”
Speaking on the women's reservation Bill on Thursday, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi alleged the bill was not passed in Lok Sabha because the then UPA government did not want this bill to be passed and obstruction was sponsored through coalition partners, according to news agency PTI.
"Target was not an OBC reservation but now to allow this bill to pass," Modi said in the Upper House.
Congress' Amee Yajnik and Phulo Devi Netam, Manas Ranjan Mangraj, Sujeet Kumar and Muzibulla Khan of the BJD, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Kavita Patidar of the BJP, Ryaga Krishnaiah YSRCP, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD also supported the bill.
In case you missed it: The Rajya Sabha saw a light-hearted and humorous exchange on September 20 between Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
During the exchange, MP Ram Gopal Yadav quipped, "Scientists (ISRO) should not send ugly photos of the Moon; it hurts those who consider the Moon a symbol of beauty."
He also shared an amusing anecdote involving leader Lalu Yadav, adding a touch of humor to the Parliamentary proceedings.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Jaya Bachchan took the chair to preside over a Rajya Sabha session and later delivered a speech with a touch of humor.
She expressed her thanks to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for the opportunity and made a light-hearted remark about the Speaker's chair. Jaya Bachchan also discussed the Women's Reservation Bill and recalled the time when the bill was presented in the presence of late Sushma Swaraj and Brinda Karat but was not passed.
Jaya Bachchan asserted that SP is not against the women reservation bill, but added that her party has some conditions attached to it, similar to what opposition leaders had mentioned.
Tensions flared in the Rajya Sabha as AITC leader Derek O'Brien and Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankhar engaged in a heated exchange during Derek O'Brien's speech regarding the Women's Reservation Bill. Their disagreements ranged from the allotted speaking time to the need for a special session without clear agenda clarification.
Derek O' Brien emphasized AITC chief and West Bengal's CM Mamata Banerjee's commitment to women's representation and highlighted remarks made by Prime Minister Modi during the West Bengal elections campaign, adding an intense dimension to the parliamentary discussion. At the time of the West Bengal elections, O'Brien said, "The men came with money, the media, with muscle power, with misogyny and mocked her, Didi, O Didi. You even tried to smash and you broke her foot... to injure her. She gave you the answer truly like a woman, softly. The people of Bengal in India provided the answer."
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, speaking to news agency PTI, on women's reservation Bill, said that it will now be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
"The bill was passed in Lok Sabha and it will now pass in Rajya Sabha. The Congress and few other people are making excuses by raising different issues, they should just support the bill," Rijiju said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', which will provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, is a gift by a grateful nation to the women scientists of space agency ISRO, news agency PTI reported.
Opening a discussion in Lok Sabha on the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission and other achievements of the nation in the space sector, Singh said that of the 424 foreign satellites launched by India so far, 389 have been launched in the last nine years of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to PTI, he said that with the successful launch of foreign satellites, India's space sector is rapidly gaining a prominent place in the world.
"This special session of Parliament is dedicated to the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'. In such a situation, I consider the bill as a gift presented by a grateful nation to the women scientists of ISRO, and along with them the entire female scientific community of India," he said in the Lower House. He said the House and the nation salute, appreciate and express gratitude to the women scientists of ISRO and every Indian daughter.
"As Martin Luther King said: 'Science gives man knowledge, which is power. Religion gives man wisdom, which is control'. Those who say that we should get rid of our culture and adopt science, they must understand that culture and science complement each other," PTI quoted Singh. (PTI)
P T Usha, while addressing the Rajya Sabha on the women's reservation Bill, hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for introducing the Bill for discussion and its passage in the Lok Sabha. She said, 'This is called the real Amrit Kaal for women. Swabhimaan — which is given by Honourable PM Sir. From the President of Bharat to the women who are living in the remote village in mud houses, that's called the Antyodaya...'
'Today, we must thank and offer our pranaam to one incredible woman — Heeraben Modi ji, the mother who gave Bharat an illustrious son who would bring justice to the entire women population of Bharat, who would usher an Amrit Kaal of equality and remove all barriers that avoided women from achieving their fullest potentials — constitutional, political potential, and guide the nation to glory... and serve Bharat Mata with commitment,' Usha said in the Upper House.
Independent MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday, in the Rajya Sabha, demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah if they do not complete the process of delimitation and implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill by 2029.
Explaining the time-frame of the delimitation process, Sibal said, "The Census of 2021 has not been done yet... Covid happened in 2021, and the United States, China completed their Census. Delimitation has not happened since 2021. The Census will happen in 2026... Now I want the Prime Minister and I want the Home Minister to make a statement in this House that if they don't complete the process by 2029, they will resign as Prime Minister and Home Minister of this country."
"I want all members of this House to place their hands on their hearts when they go out of this House and can they say that women of this country have been socially empowered, educationally empowered and economically empowered. If you ask this question, the answer is No," he said.
"This is just a very small step, a delayed step. We need a leap forward for the empowerment of women, politically," Sibal added.
YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy V on Thursday, speaking to news agency PTI, extended his party's support to the Women's Reservation Bill.
"YSRCP is supporting the #WomenReservationBill. Our MPs have been voting in favour of the bill both in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha," Reddy V said.
Samajwadi Party's Jaya Bachchan on Thursday, speaking on the women's reservation Bill, demanded reservations for the OBCs and Muslim women. "We support the Bill, but we have some conditions. If you are really serious about giving tickets to 33% in the upcoming elections, especially to the minority community, which you have shown great empathy towards Muslim women by bringing in the Triple Talaq, now give them tickets," Bachchan said.
"You have the strength, make the will," Bachchan said. She continued, "20 per cent and 15 per cent of seats shall be reserved for women belonging to OBCs, especially the Muslim minority and women belonging to minority communities, respectively, out of the total number of seats reserved for women, and to be filled by direct elections in the Legislative Assembly," Bachchan added.
Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, speaking on the women's reservation Bill, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, said, 'The Bill brought in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 was immediately implementable. There's no rule that exist in the entire world which will be implemented seven years later. What they are doing is telling women that we are giving you reservations, but with conditions. We are opening doors, but we won't let you enter it for the next 7 years."
'I want to ask what is stopping you? Which part of the Constitution is stopping you from its immediate implementation?,' questioned Chaturvedi.
'Our party supports this Bill. But we have two issues with it. First of all, in the manifestos of 2014 and 2019, it was promised to us that we will get reservations. J P Nadda, among other things, said, "this is the only way we can give reservation. I would like to say, this is not the only way we can get representation and reservation."
Congress leader KC Venugopal on Thursday targeting the BJP in the Rajya Sabha said, "It was Congress who gave the first woman PM, woman President, woman Lok Sabha Speaker, and woman Governor but the BJP is trying to become champions of women's rights. Why is the BJP running away from caste census if they care about OBCs."
TMC MP Derek O'Brien in Rajya Sabha on Thursday said, "Today, the health, finance, commerce, and industry ministries are all headed by women in West Bengal but the BJP could not get a single women CM out of 16 CMs and they are preaching to us on women's rights."
Rajya Sabha MP and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday demanded one-third reservations for women in the Rajya Sabha.
'Get everyone onboard, have proper discussion on the subject and then bring one-third women reservation also in the Rajya Sabha, we will all support. It can't be done in a hurry, but bring it," O'Brien said.
Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien, on Thursday, said, "We, INDIA, are saying bring this in 2024. All you need to bring this in 2024 is remove 334 A from your existing Bill, we will start in 2024."
"If you find it difficult to do, here's another solution, at least try: 2024 — an open challenge from my party, you bring one-third of women elected from your party and show us. Bring, and show us," O'Brien demanded in the Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Thursday asserted in the Rajya Sabha that one woman's story needs to be told today in this new Parliamentary building.
During the Bengal elections, "The men came with money, the media, with muscle power, with misogyny and mocked her, Didi, O Didi. You even tried to smash and you broke her foot... to injure her. She gave you the answer truly like a woman, softly. The people of Bengal in India provided the answer," O'Brien said, referring to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien on Thursday targeted the Centre for its conduct of Parliamentary proceedings, related to the special session currently underway. He said, "I support the women's reservation bill but when will this government know or learn that this is a parliamentary democracy and this is not a army commando operation?"
He underlined, "In a parliamentary democracy, you need cooperation, you need sharing. Why do you bring this special session Parliamentary bulletin — no agenda, the agenda will be added later... Why do you have a Cabinet meeting and this morning, we are given four hours time to submit amendments. Sir, honestly, I appeal to them that such... secrecy, hurts a democracy." O'Brein added.
"There is still a scope to send it (Women's Reservation Bill) to the Select Committee and incorporate SCs, STs and OBCs," says RJD MP
Stating that Indian women are playing a important and leading role in the fields like science, education and economy, BJP president JP Nadda said that the Modi government has taken several steps in the last nine years for women empowerment.
Former PM HD Deve Gowda speaks on Women's Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha.
NCP MP Vandana Chavan says, "Unfortunately, it (women's reservation Bill) comes with a caveat, it says that after census and delimitation. I don't see why this should be put in. If we genuinely want to give reservations to women, if we want to take them into the decision making process at the state level and the Parliament level. It can be done even now it can be done in the 2024 elections, so why are we delaying it...."
Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has reconstituted the panel of Vice chairpersons comprising 13 women Rajya Sabha members for the day as the House discusses the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill, 2023.
Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor speaks in Lok Sabha.
Mallikarjun Kharge intervenes into Nadda's speech, asking to implement the women's reservation Bill immediately.
BJP MP J P Nadda speaks in Rajya Sabha. He cites research that says women are more accessible than men as public representative. "Collectively, women have raised voice against addition, corruption levels are less t places where there are women," he adds.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh said, "We've become first country to reach southern pole of Moon."
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha discusses the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Rajya Sabha has taken up the Bill on 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for debate and is likely to pass it today. As the Lok Sabha resumed in the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude to the MPs over the passage of the Bill in the Lower House on Wednesday.
A day after Lok Sabha passed the women's reservation Bill, Prime Minister Narendra modi extends gratitude to all the members.
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha proceedings begin in the Parliament.
CPI MP P Santhosh Kumar says, "The Bill will be unanimously passed in the Rajya Sabha today. It was opposed by two MPs in Lok Sabha but everyone will support it in Rajya Sabha. But the thing is, every party has their own ideas. I would like to say that the implementation of this Bill should be in Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies too."
Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that a discussion on the success of Chandrayaan-3 shall be taken up in the Lok Sabha today. He also said that The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is listed for today.
Women from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan visit Parliament.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House today and support the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.
The Bill on 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies enters Rajya Sabha today and is set to sail through the test there given how different the Upper House now — 13 years since it passed a similar Bill in 2010. For one, the SP, one of the architects of the opposition to the Bill in 2010, has changed its stand.
On Women's Reservation Bill passed in Lok Sabha, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "It is good that the bill got passed but we have concerns, it is a bit of a Jhumla because of reference to delimitation and census, neither of it has been scheduled, which makes it very unclear when this(bill) will actually be implemented."
Clearing the decks for a landmark legislation on 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, the Lower House Wednesday passed the women’s reservation Bill – the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2023 – with Union Home Minister Amit Shah declaring that “the empowerment of women is a matter of principle, not a political weapon” for “our leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party”.
Wrapping up a discussion on the Bill introduced Tuesday in Lok Sabha, Shah, in his reply, assured the House of a “transparent process” to identify the seats to be reserved for women.
Read the full story here.
"It is a historic moment, a moment which makes me extremely happy but emotional too. Because this was something I was hoping would happen in my term in the Parliament. The only thing that holds me back from celebrating totally is that this act has not been passed for immediate implementation," says Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi as Lok Sabha passes Women's Reservation Bill.
On Women's Reservation Bill passed in Lok Sabha, CPI MP Binoy Viswam said, " OBC reservations are pending but INDIA bloc parties believed that this bill should be passed and rest of it we can find solutions…INDIA stands for passing of the bill."
"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", tweeted PM Modi.
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till tomorrow.
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies, unanimously. 454 Lok Sabha MPs voted in favour of ‘The Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ bill, and two voted against it.
Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh Wednesday said the BJP-led Centre has brought in the women's reservation Bill with the intention to befool women and has made sure with the riders of delimitation and population census that it will not be implemented before 2039, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing a press conference, Singh said his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supports the bill but wants it to be implemented in the 2024 elections as well. 'All the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have turned out to be jumla. Whether it's the promise of two crore jobs to the youth, Rs 15 lakh to every Indian, doubling farmers' income, bringing back black money, pucca house to everyone or controlling inflation, everything has been proven to be a mere jumla.'
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till tomorrow.
'They think that the country is run by the secretaries. I think the government runs the country,' Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in his rebuttal to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
He added that 'there are 85 OBC BJP MPs, 29 OBC ministers and it was BJP that gave an OBC PM.'
The Congress leader had hit out at the Centre over the number of OBC secretaries and said: "There are 90 secretaries of the Govt of India. How many of the 90 people come from the OBC community? I was shocked and shattered by the answer...Only three secretaries belong to the OBC community."
PM Modi is in Lok Sabha during the voting on the Women's Reservation Bill.
"We won't let this bill get stuck in technical things," Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said in Lok Sabha during debate on Women's Reservation Bill.
Some people on social media are saying that this bill should not be supported as there is no reservation of OBC, Muslims. If you don’t support this bill, will reservation happen sooner? If you support this bill, then will at least be guarantee," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Lok Sabha.
"Parliamentarians are currently elected in 3 categories of General, SC, ST; we have reserved one-third seats for women in each of them," says Amit Shah in Lok Sabha.
"Women's security, respect, equal participation have been life force of government since PM Modi took oath of office," Amit Shah said Lok Sabha.