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Rajya Sabha members on Thursday backed a cross-party bill to give women 33 percent reservation in the lower house and state assemblies, even as some opposition members called it an election gimmick.
During the Upper House's debate on the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats for women, members also stressed the need to speed up the process instead of waiting for another census. delineation.
Participating in the debate, Elamaram Kareem of CPI(M), supporting the motion, said that the BJP had promised to introduce the Women's Reservation Act in 2014 and 2019 as well, but had not taken any action. She held the ruling party responsible for the abolition of women's reservations for nine years.
He said it was an election stunt by the BJP after it lost the elections in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, besides losing the Delhi elections. Referring to violence against women in riot-torn Manipur and allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers, Kareem argued that the government does not care much about women.
Ram Nath Thakur of JD(U) questioned the timing of bringing 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MP K Keshava Rao emphasized the need to speed up the reservation process for women and said the 2011 census can be taken as a benchmark. He called for the immediate appointment of a boundary committee. Similar sentiments were echoed by Vaiko of MDMK. BJP's Saroj Pandey said it was unfortunate that questions were being raised about the timing and purpose of the bill. As the country was celebrating Amrit Kaal, now was the perfect time for such legislation, he said.
Asom Gana Parishad MP Birendra Prasad Baishya pointed out that the women's reservation bill had arrived "on time" after failed attempts.
JD(S) leader H D Devegowda also supported the bill, recalling his work for women's reservation when he was chief minister of Karnataka and also a chief minister.

RJD's Manoj Jha demanded that the Women's Reservation Act be referred to a select committee to consider extending similar benefits to other backward classes. Vijayasai Reddy (YSRCP) also supported the bill and said that reservation for women must be extended to the Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils.
KC Venugopal of the Congress demanded immediate implementation of the law. She also sought reservation for OBC women under the bill.

Venugopal claimed that the Narendra Modi government did not try to pass the bill for the last nine years and due to political calculations, the government has now brought the legislation. "Life-changing legislation should come from the heart, not the head," he told the House of Lords. Eelnõu toetasid ka Rajani Ashokrao Patil Kongresisto kaj Mausam Noor TMC-st.
Debatis osalesid ka Sulata Deo BJD-st, Subhas Chandra Bose Pilli YSRCP-st, Ravichandra Vaddiraju BRS-st kaj K Ravindra Kumar TDP-st