New Delhi [India], April 13 : Ahead of the upcoming discussions on the amendments in the Women's Reservation Bill, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to field women spokespersons across television debates for a week, the party officials said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is set to take one of the biggest decisions of the 21st century, calling the proposed women's reservation legislation a historic step dedicated to "Nari Shakti," while addressing the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan' at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, earlier today.
Addressing the gathering, the PM affirmed 2029 as the deadline for implementing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures, calling for collective efforts across party lines to pass the proposed amendment to the statute.
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam tied women's reservation to the new census and delimitation. Due to census delays, the Centre plans to proceed with the 2011 census data for delimitation and implementation of one-third reservation for women legislators.
The Prime Minister said, "When the Nari Shakti Vandan Act was introduced in 2023, all parties had also passed it unanimously. There was also a unanimous demand that it should be implemented by 2029 at any cost. In particular, all our opposition colleagues had emphasised that it should be implemented by 2029. We are keeping the 2029 deadline in mind; a comprehensive discussion on this is going to take place in Parliament from April 16. It is our endeavour and our desire that this work be done with mutual cooperation and participation, this time too. With everyone's collective efforts, the dignity of the entire House will reach new heights. Every woman in the country will also be happy that every party has risen above politics and taken up this important task for their benefit."
He said there was a unanimous demand to implement the Women's Empowerment Act by 2029, adding that Parliament will hold a comprehensive discussion on the issue from April 16, and expressing hope that all parties will work together to take the initiative forward in the interest of women's empowerment.
"There was also a unanimous demand that it (Women's Empowerment Act) should be implemented by 2029 at any cost... We are keeping the 2029 deadline in mind, a comprehensive discussion on this is going to take place in Parliament from April 16th. It is our endeavour and our desire that this work be done with mutual cooperation and participation, this time too... With everyone's collective efforts, the dignity of the entire House will reach new heights. Every woman in the country will also be happy that every party has risen above politics and taken up this important task for their benefit," he said.
The Parliament is set to meet for a three-day special session from April 16, to move the Amendment Bill to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 and a Delimitation Bill to implement the one-third reservation for women legislators.
Through the delimitation process, the Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 post-amendment.
Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation. Keeping up with the status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation, and SC/ST reservation will continue.