New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the women’s quota Bill, days after it cleared both Houses of Parliament after a chequered three-decade history.
The reservation of one-third seats in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies is now a law – the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday signed the reservation bill before it was presented to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent.
All parties came together in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to pass the Bill with near unanimity during a special session of Parliament earlier this month.
The Act, however, will take some time to be implemented as it has been linked to the census and the subsequent delimitation exercise will ascertain the seats to be earmarked for women candidates.
This has emerged to be a sticky point with the Opposition as several leaders demanded the law be enacted before the 2024 general elections, preferably on the basis of the voters’ list. They said prematurely passing the Bill was a ploy to lure women voters.
The Act also proposes sub-reservation for SCs, STs and Anglo-Indians within the 33 per cent quota. It says reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or Union Territory.
Women MPs account for less than 15 per cent of the present Lok Sabha strength while their representation is below 10 per cent in many state assemblies, government data has shown.
In the Rajya Sabha too, women’s representation is about 14 per cent, according to the data shared with Parliament last December.