INDIA bloc leaders hold meeting to chalk out floor strategy

New Delhi [India]: Leaders of the INDIA alliance held a meeting at the office of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the house ahead of discussion on Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday morning.

Along with Mallikarjun Kharge, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, RJD leader Manoj Jha, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Singh and Congress Tarun Gogogi were present at the meeting.

The Lok Sabha started with the discussion on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill which was tabled by the Centre for discussion at 11 a.m. today. The 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2023 seeks to reserve 33 percent of seats in Lok Sabha and all state Assemblies for women.

According to the sources, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to be the lead speaker from her party for the debate as the Lok Sabha takes up the Women’s Quota Bill for discussion.

The Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Monday.

On Tuesday, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the first sitting of Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building. The bill has been named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

In 2008, the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government tabled the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, and it was passed in 2010. However, the Bill was never taken up for consideration in the Lok Sabha.

Introducing the bill in the house yesterday, Meghwal said “This bill is in relation to women empowerment. By amending Article 239AA of the Constitution, 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Article 330A reservations of seats for SC/ST in the House of People.

Meghwal also said that once the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is passed, the number of seats for women in Lok Sabha will increase to 181.

The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21, government sources said.