Artists Laud Women's Reservation Bill

Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan welcomed the Centre's move to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, with the proposed Amendment Bill, calling the 33 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha a "huge and significant" step for women.

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While talking to ANI, Narayan expressed her happiness for attending the Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan while highlighting the importance of the women's contribution in the society. "This is a huge step, and certainly a significant one for our women. They will have an opportunity to showcase their skills and talents, and their contribution to society will be showcased, and India will benefit. I congratulate the Prime Minister, and I am grateful that he has considered introducing such a law. It was crucial because women possess power. We know this, but it was somehow limited. Perhaps due to societal fear. So now, each one of them is getting an opportunity to overcome that fear and move forward," said Shovana Narayan.

Earlier, actress Prachee Shah Paandya on Monday also attended the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan' at Vigyan Bhawan and hailed the government for the Women's Reservation Bill. "I would like to congratulate for such an important decision and important bill. Prime Minister Modi addressed how important our women are in our country... What better can we ask for? I'm just feeling so overwhelmed and so happy with this bill, and I'm looking forward to it getting implemented," said Prachee while talking to ANI.

PM Modi Sets 2029 Implementation Deadline

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday affirmed 2029 as the deadline for implementing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures, calling for collective efforts across party lines to pass the proposed amendment to the statute.

Delimitation and Legislative Process

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam tied women's reservation to the new census and delimitation. Due to census delays, the Centre plans to proceed with the 2011 census data for delimitation and implementation of one-third reservation for women legislators.

Amid opposition to the delimitation process in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi noted that Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was unanimously passed in Parliament in 2023, and it was opposition parties which demanded the implementation before 2029.

The Parliament is set to meet for a three-day special session from April 16, to move the Amendment Bill to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 and a Delimitation Bill to implement the one-third reservation for women legislators.

Through the delimitation process, the Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 post-amendment. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation. Keeping up with the status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation, and SC/ST reservation will continue. (ANI)