Modi Cabinet clears women's reservation Bill

NEW DELHI: In a historic decision, the Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the Women's Reservation Bill (WRB).

Minister of state for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti Prahlad Patel confirmed the development on X (formally known as Twitter), but later deleted the post.

"Only the Modi government had the moral courage to fulfil the demand for women's reservation which was proved by the approval of the cabinet. Congratulations Narendra Modi ji and congratulations to the Modi government," the minister had posted on X.

The Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to reserve one-third (33 per cent) of the total number of seats in state legislative Assemblies and Parliament for women. The bill proposes sub-reservation for SCs, STs  within the 33 per cent quota. Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.

Reacting to the development senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, “It’s been a long-standing demand of the Congress party to implement women’s reservation. We welcome the reported decision of the Union Cabinet and await the details of the Bill. This could have very well been discussed in the all-party meeting before the Special Session, and consensus could have been built instead of operating under a veil of secrecy."

Several governments beginning from the ones headed by Rajiv Gandhi, Deve Gowda, Atal Behari Vajapayee and Manmohan Singh had tried to enact a law on women's reservation, but could not do so mainly because of vehement from parties in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

While most of their bills lapsed, the Manmohan Singh government introduced the Bill in Rajya Sabha on May 6, 2008 to prevent it getting lapsed.

The Bill was cleared by Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010, with 186 votes favouring and one opposing it. The Bill, however, was not taken up in Lok Sabha, before its term ended. The Bill, however, remains active as Bills passed in Rajya Sabha do not lapse.