Special occasion

Twenty-seven years after the women’s reservation Bill was first introduced in Parliament, the Lok Sabha passed a Bill with near unanimity to amend the Constitution and provide one-third reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Calling it a historic legislation that will enable greater participation of women in the political process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly, Twitter) to thank the Lok Sabha members. Throwing their collective weight behind the passage of women’s reservation bill, Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday demanded carving out an OBC sub-quota in the legislation while also urging the government to implement it immediately without linking it to delimitation. They also demanded a caste census to facilitate inclusion of the OBC sub-quota. It is a historic leap for our nation as the Lok Sabha passes the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ today. The bill envisaged by PM Modi will not only script a new chapter in the history of women’s empowerment but also foster equitable and gender-inclusive development in our nation. It yet again reiterates the Modi government’s commitment to women-led governance, said Home Minister Amit Shah.