Lok Sabha: After Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha passes women’s reservation bill with 214 votes in favour, 0 against | India News

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the women’s reservation bill, with a majority 214 votes in favour and none against.
The bill proposes to give 33% reservation to women in the lower house and legislative assemblies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the historic mandate and said the passage of bill was “a defining moment”.
“A defining moment in our nation’s democratic journey.Congratulations to 140 crore Indians. I thank all the Rajya Sabha MPs who voted for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Such unanimous support is indeed gladdening. With the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam inParliament, we usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India,” PM Modi said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“This is not merely a legislation; it is a tribute to the countless women who have made our nation. India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions. As we celebrate today, we are reminded of the strength, courage, and indomitable spirit of all the women of our nation. This historic step is a commitment to ensuring their voices are heard even more effectively,” he added.

The bill was on Wednesday cleared in

Lok Sabha by an overwhelming majority with 454 out of the 456 members present in the lower house voting in favour of the proposal to give 33% reservation to women.
The landslide support came in spite of the opposition failing to secure acceptance of its demands – that it should be implemented immediately rather than by 2029 as the government has proposed, quota for OBCs and Muslims within the general quota, and for clubbing a caste-wise headcount with the decennial census.
On Wednesday, speaking during the debate on the bill in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah asserted that after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the census and delimitation exercise will take place following which the bill will come into force.
Notably, the proposed law can only be implemented once the census and delimitation exercise takes place.
The Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing special session of Parliament. It was the first bill to be introduced after lawmakers shifted to the new Parliament building.