Women's Reservation Bill cleared in key Union Cabinet meeting: Report
What's the story
The Union Cabinet cleared the Women's Reservation Bill at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening, reported ANI. The bill—seeking to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women—will now be tabled in the Parliament during the five-day special session that commenced on Monday. PM Modi earlier said this session will witness "historic decisions."
Twitter Post
Union Cabinet clears bill in key meeting
Women's Reservation Bill cleared in Union Cabinet meeting, says sources pic.twitter.com/UpJgmrK6EF
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2023
Confirmation
Modi government has moral courage to fulfill reservation demand: MoS
While the central government is yet to confirm the Union Cabinet's approval of the bill, Minister of State (MoS) for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Singh Patel's now-deleted tweet hinted at the same. "Only the Modi government had the moral courage to fulfill the demand for women's reservation. Which was proved by the approval of the cabinet (sic)," he had posted on X in Hindi.
Meeting
No cabinet briefing after meeting
PM Modi chaired the Union Cabinet meeting on Monday, which reportedly began at 6:30pm and lasted over 100 minutes. However, no cabinet briefing was held after the meeting. It was speculated that the Union Cabinet might have discussed the government's agenda for the ongoing special session of the Parliament besides clearing key bills, including the one seeking women's reservation.
About
Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha in 2010
The bill, formally known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008, seeks to reserve a third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. Reportedly, it was first introduced during former PM Manmohan Singh's government. It was then cleared by the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but has not been tabled in the Lok Sabha yet.
Opposition
Opposition leaders welcome decision
As soon as the news of the Union Cabinet clearing the Women's Reservation Bill surfaced, numerous opposition leaders took to social media to welcome the move. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "The Congress offers him its unconditional support." Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter and Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) MLC K Kavitha also announced her party will support the bill in the Parliament.
Twitter Post
Chidambaram says upper house cleared bill in UPA rule
If the government introduces the Women's Reservation Bill tomorrow, it will be a victory for the Congress and its allies in the UPA government
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 18, 2023
Remember, it was during the UPA government that the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on 9-3-2010
In its 10th year, the BJP is…
Meetings
Move follows series of important meetings
On Monday, a series of meetings between several Union ministers preceded the PM Modi-chaired Union Cabinet meeting, per reports. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi first met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. BJP National President JP Nadda was also present at this meeting. Later, Goyal and Joshi also reportedly had a separate meeting with PM Modi.