President Droupadi Murmu Gives Nod To Women's Reservation Bill

The Government of India (GOI) issued a gazette notification after the women's reservation bill received assent from President Droupadi Murmu. The reservation bill as the Constitution 128th Amendment Act in Lok Sabha will now be known as the 106th Amendment Act. 

The bill recognised as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as described by the Prime Minister will now seek 33% reservations for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. 

President Droupadi Murmu Gives Assent To Women's Reservation Bill

As the concerning data highlighted women's constituency in Lok Sabha is as low as 15% and less than 10% in many State Assemblies, this is a landmark moment for India as the Women's Reservation Bill will now reserve one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. 

On September 29, the Law Ministry issued a gazette notification that President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill after it was signed by the Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar.

The bill that was originally introduced as the Constitution (128th) Amendment Act in Lok Sabha, will now be known as the Constitution (106th) Amendment Act as some other proposed amendment acts are yet to be passed by the Parliament. The quota will continue in the Lok Sabha Assembly for 15 years and the benefit period can later be extended. However, the law will come into force after the subsequent consensus and delimitation exercises such as redrawing of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies constituencies to determine the particular seats that are to be reserved for women. 

Earlier this month, during the Special session of Parliament this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the new law as "Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.”

The bill became a law after it was passed with near unanimity in Lok Sabha after only two members opposed the bill and with zero animosity in Rajya Sabha. 

The AIMIM opposed the bill in the Lok Sabha Assembly stating that the bill would only uplift the Savarna women as there is no reservation for Muslim women in the Assembly. While there is already a quota for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) women, Congress too sought to seek reservations for Other Backward Class (OBC) and questioned the inevitably long time it would take for the implementation of the new law even after receiving President's assent. 

The passage of the Women's Reservation Bill is expected to have a significant impact on Indian politics. It will increase the number of women in decision-making positions and lead to more inclusive and gender-sensitive policies. 

This is a landmark moment for India, as it makes the country one of the few in the world with a constitutional guarantee of women's representation in parliament. 

Suggested Reading: Women's Reservation Bill: Key Features And Challenges Ahead