"Women's Reservation Bill hasn't been brought just keeping elections in mind": Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi [India], April 16 : Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said the Women's Reservation Bill is a "very important" decision taken by the government, adding that the bill hasn't been brought just keeping the elections in mind.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, is set to table the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, at a special three-day sitting of the Budget Session beginning from April 16.

"There will be a discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament...This is a very important decision taken by the PM Modi-led government to provide reservations to women. A law was passed earlier, but now a new law is being formulated. There will be a discussion over the next three days regarding how many seats should be allotted to women. I believe that women will get justice."

Responding to criticism over the timing of the bill, he added, "I think if this bill wasn't brought forward now, it wouldn't have been useful for the 2029 elections. The work of delimitation also needs to be carried out ahead. Therefore, the bill hasn't been brought just keeping the elections in mind. There is no need to play politics over this."

BJP MP Naresh Bansal urged the opposition to support the Women's Reservation Bill and said, "PM Modi is definitely taking care of all the work that has been neglected in the last 70 years. Under PM Modi's able leadership, half the population is going to get their rights, and there will be a meaningful discussion on this for three days. I request the opposition to wholeheartedly support this bill so that our sisters get the opportunity to play their role through reservation."

BJP MP V. D. Sharma termed the government's move to convene a special session of Parliament from 16 April to 18 April to pass the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill "historic" and said, "Tomorrow is going to be a historic day for the nation...This is all possible under the leadership of PM Modi...We thank the Prime Minister..."

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which provides for 33 per cent reservation for women legislators, is linked to the delimitation process in the Lok Sabha. The government is planning to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.

According to sources, the government has proposed to increase the number of seats in the House to 850, with 815 seats proposed for the States and the remaining 35 for the Union Territories. The Lok Sabha has 543 seats at present.

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