- The Women’s Reservation Bill has received Presidential assent, making it the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act-2023.’
- It mandates 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
- Introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 19, 2023, and passed by the Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2023.
- It will officially be known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act.
- The bill doesn’t require state ratification as it doesn’t change the number of seats states have in Parliament.
- Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe reserved seats also come under the purview of women’s reservation.
- Passed with near unanimity in the Lok Sabha and unanimous support in the Rajya Sabha.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees it as a step towards stronger women’s representation and empowerment.
- Some concerns were raised during the debate regarding the absence of an OBC sub-quota in the legislation.
Women’s Reservation Bill becoming law
