India Approves Women’s Historic Quota Bill

The lower house of the Indian parliament has passed a bill guaranteeing a third of seats for women in the parliament and state assemblies.

The bill which was first proposed in 1996, had been pending for decades amid opposition from some political parties.

On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed it unanimously after hours of fierce debate. The bill will now require the approval of lawmakers in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.

If passed, it will be sent to the Indian president for approval and become law. However, the implementation would depend on the completion of India’s census, which is expected to take place in 2025.

The passing of the bill is expected to boost the fortunes of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the general elections next year.

BBC reported that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked MPs who voted for the bill in Lok Sabha. He called it a “historic legislation” that would enable greater participation of women in the political process.

The bill was passed after 454 MPs from across party lines voted in its favour with only two against it.

The Lok Sabha debated the legislation for nearly eight hours, with several members of the Opposition raising concerns about its implementation even as they voiced their support.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the party supported the proposed legislation but demanded its immediate implementation.

BBC