Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the women’s reservation bill reflects the aspirations of millions, calling for its timely implementation. He highlighted women’s growing role across sectors and stressed that greater political representation is essential to strengthen governance and ensure a more inclusive democracy.
PM Narendra Modi in his op-ed piece shared that the women’s reservation bill, which proposes 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, reflects the aspirations of millions of women across India and urged all MPs to come together to support this move on Thursday.
“It is a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India. It is an affirmation of a principle that has long guided our civilisational ethos, that society progresses when women progress”, PM Modi said.
The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023, but it will come into effect after the completion of the delimitation exercise on the basis of 2027 Census. Therefore, it is expected to come into force only in 2034 if the present law remains as it is.
Women in every field
The Prime Minister stressed on the role of women over the years and their contributions to the nation are vast and invaluable. He shared that women are seen excelling in every field from science and technology to entrepreneurship.
“Today, India is witnessing remarkable achievements by women across every field. From science and technology to entrepreneurship, from sports to the armed forces and from music to the arts, women are at the forefront of India’s progress”, he said.
“Over the years, sustained efforts have been made to create an enabling environment for women’s empowerment. Greater access to education, improved healthcare, enhanced financial inclusion and better access to basic amenities have strengthened the foundations of women’s participation in economic and social life”, he added.
PM Modi put forward the lack of women representation in the political field and legislative bodies. He added that the participation of women in decision-making will introduce changes, enrich public discourse and improve the quality of governance.
“It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly elections to the various states in the coming times are conducted with women’s reservation in place. Over the decades, there have been repeated efforts to provide women with their rightful place in democratic institutions by the previous governments”, he said.
PM also recalled the passage of the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, stressing it was one the most special occasions of his life.
“Committees were made, bill drafts were introduced but they never saw the light of day. But the broad consensus has remained that women’s representation in legislative bodies has to increase. In September 2023, Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam with the same spirit of consensus. I consider it to be among the most special occasions of my life”, the PM added.
What is the Women’s reservation bill?
The Women’s reservation bill or the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 was passed in Parliament in September 2023.
The bill reserves one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha, State legislative assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including those reserved for SCs and STs.
It reflects the government’s strong commitment to women’s empowerment, backed by concrete actions on the ground. Key initiatives highlighted include the abolition of triple talaq, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
Urgency to implement the bill
The Prime Minister called for urgency to implement the women’s reservation bill, saying the moment cannot be deferred any longer.
“Strengthening women’s participation in legislative institutions is an important step towards fulfilling that vision. It reflects our commitment to building a society where every citizen has an equal stake in shaping the nation’s destiny. This is a moment that cannot be deferred any longer. Every delay in advancing women’s representation is, in effect, a delay in strengthening the quality and inclusiveness of our democracy. For decades, the need for greater participation of women in legislative institutions has been acknowledged, discussed and reaffirmed. To postpone action now would mean extending an imbalance that we already recognise and have the capacity to correct”, he said.
End of Article
