Omar Abdullah Extends Support to Women’s Reservation Bill, Stresses Commitment to Gender Equality and Representation
19-09-2023 : National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has expressed support for the Women’s Reservation Bill introduced in Parliament, stating that his party is not opposed to the bill and has no objections to its implementation. He emphasized that they have already implemented similar reservation provisions at the Panchayat and local body levels, even before the Indian government, demonstrating their commitment to providing women with their rightful representation in decision-making processes within the country.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill during the first sitting of Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building. The bill has been titled “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.” Meghwal explained that the legislation aims to empower women by amending Article 239AA of the Constitution to reserve 33% of seats for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, in addition to providing reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) through Article 330A.
Once the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is passed, the number of seats allocated for women in the Lok Sabha will increase to 181, as stated by Arjun Meghwal. The discussion on the Bill in the House is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, with the Rajya Sabha set to take it up on September 21, according to government sources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has voiced his support for the new Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. He emphasized his commitment to women’s empowerment and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to advance this important task.
On Tuesday, Members of Parliament bid farewell to the old Parliament building and proceeded to the new Parliament building. It’s worth noting that the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but was not taken up in the Lok Sabha, eventually lapsing in the lower House of Parliament.
