Parliament Special Session Highlights: Rajya Sabha passes Women’s Reservation Bill, 214 MPs vote for it, none against

“A defining moment in our nation's democratic journey! Congratulations to 140 crore Indians. I thank all the Rajya Sabha MPs who voted for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Such unanimous support is indeed gladdening. With the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, we usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India. This is not merely a legislation; it is a tribute to the countless women who have made our nation. India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions. As we celebrate today, we are reminded of the strength, courage, and indomitable spirit of all the women of our nation. This historic step is a commitment to ensuring their voices are heard even more effectively,” posted PM Narendra Modi on the Women's Reservation Bill.

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Rajya Sabha passes Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill). 215 MPs vote in favour of the bill, and no one opposed it. Abstention zero, says Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

On Women's Reservation Bill, BJP MP Hema Malini says, “Whatever PM Modi has done, he has done it with a good motive. No other PM has done such things…It's their (Opposition's) job to do it (oppose the bill), we don't bother about it…”

“It's a proud moment and we have been fighting for this for the last 27 years and it got approved now…It's good that we got to witness it…The country is progressing and along with it women are making progress who will play an important role in policy and decision-making,” says BJP leader Khushbu Sundar.

Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, speaking on the women's reservation Bill, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, said, 'The Bill brought in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 was immediately implementable. There's no rule that exists in the entire world which will be implemented seven years later. What they are doing is telling women that we are giving you reservations, but with conditions. We are opening doors, but we won't let you enter it for the next 7 years.”

'I want to ask what is stopping you. Which part of the Constitution is stopping you from its immediate implementation?' questioned Chaturvedi.

Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Thursday targeted the Centre over introducing the Women's Reservation Bill without any prior discussion. He said, “I support the Women's Reservation Bill but when will this government know or learn that this is a parliamentary democracy and this is not an army commando operation?”

He underlined, “In a parliamentary democracy, you need cooperation, you need sharing. Why do you bring this special session Parliamentary bulletin — no agenda, the agenda will be added later… Why do you have a Cabinet meeting and the next morning, we are given four hours time to submit amendments? Sir, honestly, I appeal to them that such… secrecy, hurts a democracy,” O'Brien added.

“The central government does not have an intention and is only befooling people. I have never seen a Bill that is getting passed today, but will be implemented 10 years later,” says Bihar Deputy CM on Women's Reservation Bill.

Vice-President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday reconstituted the panel of Vice-Chairpersons comprising 13 women Rajya Sabha Members for the day as the House discusses the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill, 2023.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha during the Special Session of Parliament, BJP President JP Nadda said that “the BJP has more OBC MPs than total Congress MPs”. 

Congress chief and the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, intervened into Nadda's speech and asked to implement the women's reservation Bill immediately.

BJP MP J P Nadda speaks in Rajya Sabha. He cites research that says women are more accessible than men as public representative. “Collectively, women have raised voice against addition, corruption levels are less t places where there are women,” he adds.

BJP President JP Nadda opened debate on the women's reservation bill on Thursday in Rajya Sabha and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the quota bill. He said that the women's reservation bill will strengthen women's empowerment.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in Rajya Sabha said, “Through the Constitutional Amendment Bill that I have brought today, a section will inserted in Article 330, Article 332 and Article 334. Through these, 1/3rd of the seats will be reserved in Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies of the country. This is a major step.”

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude over the passage of the women's reservation bill and said that it would motivate women in the country and would empower women.

NCP MP Supriya Sule said, “They did this in such a haste, in a special session. There was so much haste. It seems that they could have done it in December (Winter Session). Even if they did it then, the outcome would have been the same…We are supporting it strongly. But it is a post-dated cheque because neither census nor delimitation has been done. Unless both of them are done it can't be implemented. It will perhaps be implemented in 2029, who knows?”

CPI MP P Santhosh Kumar criticised the BJP-led Centre on Thursday for the timing of the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament, saying that it has been done “in light of the elections next year”.

The Lok Sabha will on Thursday hold a discussion about the achievements of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Speaker Om Birla, just before adjourning the House for the day on Wednesday following the approval of the women's reservation bill, informed the members about the upcoming discussion on India's remarkable space journey and the success of the most recent lunar mission.

The BJD (Biju Janata Dal) on Thursday issued a three-line Whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House today and support the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill. The historic Bill, termed 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', will now be taken up in Rajya Sabha for passage after it was passed with a huge majority in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

On the Women's Reservation Bill being passed in Lok Sabha, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “It is good that the bill got passed but we have concerns, it is a bit of a Jumla because of reference to delimitation and census, neither of it has been scheduled, which makes it very unclear when this (bill) will actually be implemented.”