Gandhinagar, Apr 15 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said here on Wednesday that the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ is not just a law providing reservation for women, but a step towards bringing a revolution in the political sphere.
His deputy Harsh Sanghavi also addressed a gathering in Ahmedabad during a programme on Nari Shakti legislation, more commonly known as the Women’s Reservation Act, saying the quota for women will benefit future generations.
“The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is not just a law providing reservation for women, but a step towards bringing a revolution in the political sphere,” said Patel, addressing a programme in Gandhinagar linked to the women’s law.
He said that a special session of Parliament will be convened from April 16 to April 18.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both Houses of Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in 2023, marking a golden and revolutionary step in the history of Indian democracy. The special session of Parliament has been organised, drawing inspiration from PM Modi,” Patel said.
With the PM’s commitment, a similar moment of unity will be witnessed during the special session of Parliament beginning Thursday, he said.
The Centre is moving towards an early implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act, passed in 2023, through a special session of Parliament.
Lok Sabha seats will be increased to up to 850 from the current 543 to “operationalise” the women’s reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise to be carried out based on the last published census.
According to the draft Constitution amendment bill, which will be introduced in Parliament, seats would also be increased in state and Union territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
From the freedom struggle to the decisions of the Constituent Assembly, which first met on December 9, 1946, women have played a significant role in laying the foundation of independent India, he said, adding that history stands witness to this.
Even after independence, women who received opportunities for representation have carried out remarkable work for the country, Patel added.
“The prime minister’s goal is to ensure that women get proper opportunities to enter public life from Panchayats to Parliament. Today, more than 14 lakh women are successfully working in local self-government institutions,” he said.
As far back as 2014, Gujarat ensured 50 per cent participation of women in the Panchayati Raj system and has since remained a pioneer in women-centric policies and empowerment, Patel said.
He said that schemes like Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati in the education sector have helped women in Gujarat become economically and socially empowered.
In Ahmedabad, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi addressed a gathering, where he praised the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
“When a woman is a representative, issues related to women will be strongly raised in the Lok Sabha in their favour,” he said.
He added that whenever the topic of reservation is discussed, some individuals from Delhi argue that it should be based on merit rather than reservation.
“If Rahul Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi can be a member of parliament in Lok Sabha, Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav can also be an MP, and Lalu Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi can be a public representative, then why not common women?” he asked.
He said that the 33 per cent reservation for women will be beneficial for future generations. PTI KVM PD NR
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