Women's Reservation Bill Fails in Lok Sabha, Marking a Rare Defeat for Modi Government
Narendra Modi govt’s constitutional amendment bill for women quota in Parliament fails Lok Sabha test
The Economic Times
Image: The Economic Times
The Indian government's attempt to implement a 33% reservation for women in Parliament through the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, falling short of the required votes. This outcome represents the first legislative defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration since 2014.
- 01The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill aimed to reserve 33% of Lok Sabha seats for women but failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority.
- 02298 members voted in favor while 230 opposed, needing 352 votes to pass.
- 03Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized opposition parties for blocking the bill, claiming they hinder women's rights.
- 04The government's push for women's reservation remains ongoing despite this setback.
- 05Rahul Gandhi labeled the bill a 'shameful act,' arguing it was a ploy to alter the electoral landscape.
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The BJP-led government in India faced a legislative setback when the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which sought to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha for women, failed to pass in the Lok Sabha. The bill required 352 votes to succeed but only garnered 298 in favor against 230 opposed. This marks the first defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration since it came to power in 2014. Union Home Minister Amit Shah blamed opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, and Samajwadi Party, for blocking the bill, asserting that they denied women their rightful representation. He emphasized the need for delimitation to ensure equitable representation, citing disparities in constituency sizes. In contrast, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the bill as a facade for altering the electoral map, claiming it did not genuinely empower women. Despite this defeat, the existing 33% reservation law, notified earlier in 2023, remains in effect.
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The failure of the bill means that the push for increased women's representation in Parliament will face further delays, impacting future legislative initiatives aimed at gender equality.
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