Women's Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha: A look at its contentious history
FirstpostThe Lok Sabha will take up the Women’s Reservation Bill for discussion on 20 September. However, despite being pushed multiple times since then, it has failed to pass the final hurdle The Centre introduced the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha today during the ongoing special session of Parliament. The 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2023, proposes a 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and all state Legislative Assemblies. Text of the Constitution Amendment Bill 2023, which seeks to provide 1/3rd reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.#WomenReservation to take effect after the delimitation exercise after the first census following the passing of the Bill.… pic.twitter.com/gqaFC9bCMi — Live Law September 19, 2023 It has been 27 years since the Women’s Reservation Bill was first introduced in Parliament in September 1996. As per Indian Express, Nitish Kumar said at the time, “Today, out of the 39 women members, only four belong to OBCs… The population of women is 50 per cent and OBCs are 60 per cent, but is anyone speaking for the OBC women out of the 50 per cent women?” The United Front government failed to get the legislation passed in Parliament, which lapsed after the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.