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Parliament okays bills to extend women’s quota in J&K, Puducherry assemblies

Dec 19, 2023 07:58 AM IST

The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2023 amid protests by opposition MPs over the December 13 Parliament security breach.

The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2023 amid protests by opposition MPs over the December 13 Parliament security breach.

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The draft legislation were tabled for consideration by junior home minister Nityanand Rai, who urged immediate passage of the bills because they were important for the “respect and dignity of women.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, aims to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. It introduces provisions for reserving seats for women in the legislative assembly of the Union Territory.

One-third of seats under Section 14 will be reserved for women from scheduled castes or tribes. Additionally, one-third of the total seats in the assembly, including those reserved for women from these categories, will be reserved for women. These reservations will come into effect after boundaries of constituencies are redrawn following the next census.

Similarly, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023, reserves one-third of all elected seats in the Puducherry assembly for women. Both the bills were approved by the Lok Sabha last week.

Following a brief discussion, where MPs including the Biju Janata Dal’s Sasmit Patra, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kavita Patidar, and YSR Congress’ Vijaysai Reddy, expressed support for the bills. Reddy advocated extending reservation to women from the other backward classes.

Notably, proposed amendments by MPs including Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s John Brittas and V Shivdasan were not considered by Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, as they were not seated.

Rai proceeded to move the bills for passing, which occurred via a voice vote. The opposition benches, however, continued to press for the presence of the Prime Minister in the House.

Dhankar then addressed the House and said, “Mothers, sisters, grandmothers—half of humanity—need our help, and we find ourselves unable to assist them. History will judge us harshly.”

He addressed leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress and said: “I have immense respect for you, but this is an insult to the House. I am deeply pained. This goes against democratic principles and values.”

Speaking on the Lok Sabha security breach, he said, “The Speaker of the Lok Sabha has formed a high-level inquiry committee for an in-depth investigation. The findings will be shared in due course. I plead with you in the name of the founding fathers. Those who are neglecting their constitutional duties are doing a great disservice to half of humanity.”

Dhankar then adjourned proceedings till 4pm, asking Kharge to meet him in his chamber and requesting protesting MPs to not be a “brigade of shouting and instead be a brigade of dialogue, discussion, debate, and deliberation to serve the interests of the people.”

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