All eyes are on Parliament's special session as the women's reservation bill faces a crucial test. The bill, which mandates a 33% quota for women in legislatures, was tabled and debated on Thursday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging broad political backing.
The BJP hailed the move as a 'historic' step, while opposition parties accused the government of dragging its feet on notifying and implementing the law, alleging it was being used to advance an 'unconstitutional' delimitation exercise.
The Women's Reservation Act, 2023, was brought into force on Thursday, even as key questions around its rollout continue to dominate the debate.
The bill aims to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, with the government arguing that linking it to the delimitation exercise is necessary to implement the 33 per cent reservation plan by 2029.
However, the opposition is wary of the bill, saying it may reduce their representation in Parliament, with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticizing the bill and warning that the opposition will 'not allow Parliament to be hijacked by flawed delimitation bills disguised as the Women's Reservation Bill.'
Prime Minister Modi has emphasized the importance of the bill, saying 'we are 30 years too late' in its passage, and warned the opposition that those who oppose the bill will not be spared by the women of this country.
