Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 – During the special session of the Parliament in September 2023, the historic Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in both the houses of the Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In this article, we will read the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023, its history, and various questions related to it from the point of view of various examinations. If you are preparing for any exam then read this article completely.
Read in Hindi – महिला आरक्षण विधेयक, 2023
Parliament Special Session, 2023
- In compliance with Article 108 of the Constitution, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, convened a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22, 2023.
- A special session of Parliament was announced by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi on August 31, 2023.
- During the special session of parliament, the proceedings of the Parliament were shifted from the Old Parliament House to the New Parliament Building.
Women’s Reservation Bill 2023
- On September 19, 2023, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill during a special session of Parliament.
- This bill was named “Nari Shakti Vandan Bill” or “Women Reservation Bill 2023”.
The following table contains important details about the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 | |
Bill Name | Nari Shakti Vandan Bill |
Bill No. | 128th Constitution Amendment Bill |
Introduced on | 19 September 2023 (Lok Sabha) |
Who presented | Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal |
Passed in Lok Sabha | 20 September 2023 (votes in favor – 454) |
Passed in Rajya Sabha | 21 September 2023 (votes in favor – 214) |
President Assent | 29 September 2023 |
Act No. after assent | 106th Constitutional Amendment Act |
Articles inserted | 330A, 332A and 339AA |
Main provision | 33% of seats are reserved for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. |
Validity | 15 years |
When Implemented | After the completion of the new census and delimitation process |
Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 Lok Sabha
- On September 20, 2023, the Lok Sabha voted on the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023.
- 454 of the 456 MPs present in the Lok Sabha voted in support of the bill, while two AIMIM MPs abstained.
- Thus, on September 20, 2023, the Lok Sabha approved the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023.
Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 Rajya Sabha
- The Rajya Sabha voted on the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 on September 21, 2023.
- All 214 members of the Rajya Sabha who were in present cast votes in favor of the bill.
- The Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 was therefore approved by the Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2023.
- Along with a special majority in the Parliament, this Bill will also need the approval of the Legislative Assemblies of half of the states in order to become an Act.
- It will be delivered to the President after being approved by the states.
- The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act will go into effect upon the President’s signing of this measure, making it a law.
Features of Women’s Reservation Bill 2023
- Through this bill, 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be reserved for women. The seats set aside for SCs (Scheduled Castes) and STs (Scheduled Tribes) in the Lok Sabha and State Legislatures would also fall under this category.
- After implementation, this Act will be valid for 15 years.
- This Act will be in effect for 15 years after that.
- The Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Councils are exempt from the provisions of this Act.
- The Constitution will be amended to include Article 330A for a 33% female quota in the Lok Sabha and Article 332A for a quota in state legislatures.
- The National Capital Territory of Delhi’s Legislative Assembly will include Article 339AA to provide for reservations.
- The Lok Sabha elections in 2024 won’t include this Act.
- After the new census is released and the delimitation procedure based on it is finished, this Act will be put into effect.
History of Women’s Reservation Bill
By the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, signed into law by the then-Indian Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1992, 33% of seats in Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities were set aside for women.
- The government of HD Dev Gowda initially introduced the 81st Constitution Amendment Bill for women’s reservation on September 12th, 1996.
- This bill was delivered after the joint committee; however, it expired once the Lok Sabha was dissolved.
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a former Indian prime minister, made the most effort to get the Women’s Reservation Bill passed.
- The Manmohan Singh government last presented the bill and it was enacted by the Rajya Sabha in 2010, but it was unable to do so in the Lok Sabha due to opposition by several parties.
The year the Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced to Parliament as well as the Prime Minister’s name are shown in the table below.
S.N. | Year | Prime Minister |
First time | 12 September 1996 | HD Dev Gowda |
Second time | 13 July 1998 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Third time | 14 July 1998 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Fourth time | 11 December 1998 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Fifth time | 23 December 1998 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Sixth time | 2000 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Seventh time | 2002 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Eighth time | 2003 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Ninth time | 2008 | Manmohan Singh |
Tenth time | 2010 | Manmohan Singh |
Women’s representation in Lok Sabha
- In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, only 78 out of a total of 543 women MPs were elected and reached Parliament.
- In the Lok Sabha, there are 82 women MPs (15.2%), while there are 31 women in the Rajya Sabha (13%).
- Even while the number has greatly grown since the first Lok Sabha (5%), it is still far lower than in many other nations.
- The top three nations in terms of female representation are Rwanda (61%), Cuba (53%), and Nicaragua (52%), according to latest data from UN Women. India falls behind Bangladesh (21%) and Pakistan (20%) in terms of the participation of women.
- After one-third reservation, the total number of reserved seats for women will become 181.
Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 GK Questions
Question – What is the other name of the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023?
Answer – Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 is also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill.
Question – Through which Constitutional Amendment Bill was the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 introduced?
Answer – Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced through the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill 2023.
Question – Which Union Minister presented the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha?
Answer – Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ra Meghwal presented the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in the Lok Sabha on 19 September 2023.
Question – When was the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 enacted by the Lok Sabha?
Answer – Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 was enacted by the Lok Sabha on 20 September 2023.
Question – When was the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 enacted by the Rajya Sabha?
Answer – Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 was enacted by the Rajya Sabha on 21 September 2023.
Question – For how many years will the Women’s Reservation Bill be valid after its implementation?
Answer – Women’s Reservation Bill will be valid for 15 years after its implementation.
Question – What is the main provision of the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023?
Answer – Through the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023, 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be reserved for women.
Question – When will the Women’s Reservation Act come into force?
Answer – This Act will not be applicable in the Lok Sabha elections of the year 2024. This Act will be implemented after the publication of the new census and completion of the delimitation process based on that census.
Question – When did President Draupadi Murmu give assent to the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023?
Answer – On 29 September 2023, President of India Draupadi Murmu gave assent to the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023.
Question – Which article will be added to the Constitution through the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023?
Answer – Through the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023, 3 new articles 330A, 332A, and 339AA will be added to the Indian Constitution.
In this article, we have read the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023, its history, and various questions related to it from the point of view of various examinations. We hope you liked this article, please share it with your friends.