Sonia urges PM Modi to pass on women’s Reservation Bill

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asked in written format to PM Modi to pass the bill on women reservation in the Lok Sabha taking advantage of the BJP’s majority in the house. Asit’s a significant step forward in the empowerment of women, Sonia also assured support from her party to the legislation.  The Rajya Sabha already cleared on 9 March already in 2010.

On 20th September letter Sonia said “I am writing to request you to take advantage of your majority in the Lok Sabha to now get the women’s reservation bill passed in the lower house as well” as she also recalled that the Congress and its former late leader Rajiv Gandhi had 1st discussed the provision for quota for women in Panchayats and municipal bodies through Constitution amendments bills. Considering that bill was offend “thwarted” she emphasised, by the opposition in 1989 but passed by both houses of parliament in 1993.

Its almost 18 years journey so far was marked to the bill, high drama and hit roadblocks in each of its outing in parliament before the historic cleared the first legislative hurdle in 2010.In 2002 it was re- introduced the bill in NDA government congress gave assurance to support but due to some deferred in the bill was referred as a problem. The parliamentary standing committee on Law and Justice and personnel recommend passage of the bill in Dec2009 as the bill was cleared by union cabinet on Feb 25, 2010. Till date, the Lok Sabha has not forwarded it’s pending to be signed by President.

As currently, Lok Sabha has just 62 women MPs, in the house of 543 members. If the bill is approved the Lok Sabha will have more than 150 MPs, in the house drastically improving the position of women in India. Gender equality in the parliament could stringent laws against discrimination, violence and inequality against women.