Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 11 : National Mahila President of Vishva Hindu Raksha Parishad (VHRP)Yamuna Pathak on Saturday welcomed the special sitting of Parliament on the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill, saying the nationwide campaign by BJP for the bill is a "consistent ideological commitment" to women-led nation-building.
This comes after PM Modi, in a rally in Dibrugarh, said the government will take up amendments to the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill during a special session of Parliament, scheduled to be held on April 16, 17 and 18, so that provision is made for implementation of one-third reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
"The nationwide campaign by the BJP for the Women's Reservation Bill clearly reflects a consistent ideological commitment to women-led nation building... This push for the Women's Reservation Bill is a natural extension of that vision, translating intent into a constitutional reality. It is also a political truth that no other political party has shown this level of conviction, clarity and nationwide commitment to women's reservation, Pathak told ANI.
The Government has planned two major amendments. 2023's Nari Shakti Vandan Act tied women's reservation to the new census and delimitation. Due to census delays, the plan is to proceed with the 2011 census data.
The 2011 census is to be the basis for delimitation and seat redistribution. Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 post-amendment. A bill will be introduced in Parliament to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. A separate Delimitation Bill will be introduced. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation.
The new Lok Sabha is likely to have more than 800 seats. Keeping up with the status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation, and SC/ST reservation will continue. However, states won't have a role; the bill passed by Parliament will apply to them. Currently, the Lok Sabha has 543 seats. With a proposed 50% increase, the number of seats will rise to 816, with 273 (about a third) reserved for women.
The government's key point is that they won't wait for a new census to give women, comprising half the country's population, fair representation in Parliament. Instead, delimitation will be done using the 2011 census data.
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