DMK introduces Private Members' Women's Reservation Bill, submits notice in Rajya Sabha for debate

The One Hundred and Sixth Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), passed in 2023 by Parliament, provides for 33% (one-third) reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP P Wilson on Saturday introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill as a Private Member’s initiative, seeking to provide reservation for women from the next election itself without changing the current strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats or without undertaking any delimitation of constituencies or a fresh census.

Similarly, the Bill seeks to extend reservation for women to State Legislative Assemblies, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and the Union Territories of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir, without increasing the number of seats or undertaking delimitation or a census.

"This reservation is not temporary; rather, it has been made permanent," Wilson said.

Additionally, a notice has been submitted to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Upper House of Parliament, seeking suspension of the day’s proceedings to allow a discussion on women’s reservation, which the proposal argues should be implemented immediately without the need for delimitation or a census.

The One Hundred and Sixth Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), passed in 2023 by Parliament, provides for 33% (one-third) reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

Meanwhile, the BJP-led NDA government failed to secure the two-thirds majority required in the Lok Sabha to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which was linked to implementing women's reservation through delimitation. In the voting held after an marathon debate, 298 members backed the bill while 230 opposed it, resulting in its defeat.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill failed to pass as it did not meet the required constitutional threshold.  The government had introduced three related legislations, including the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later said the remaining bills would not be taken forward.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier accused opposition parties of obstructing a key reform aimed at providing 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, maintained that they support women's reservation but objected linking it with delimitation, alleging the move an attempt to alter India's electoral structure.

The special sitting of Parliament was convened amid the ongoing campaign for the assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. 

With the inputs from ANI....