NEW DELHI: Today, September 21, in the Rajya Sabha, the Women's Reservation Bill continues its journey towards enactment, following its resounding approval in the Lok Sabha yesterday. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed that this crucial legislation, which garnered an overwhelming 454 votes in favor in the lower house, will now be presented in the upper house for consideration.
"In the Rajya Sabha, the Women's Reservation Bill will be introduced as Supplementary Business due to our delay in the Lok Sabha yesterday. The specifics are best known to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, but I can assure you that deliberations will take place in the Rajya Sabha today," Minister Meghwal stated during a press briefing.
Following the successful passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, sources indicate that all female members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will extend their congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his parliamentary chamber later today.
When questioned about whether the House would also discuss the success of Chandrayaan-3, Minister Meghwal affirmed that a comprehensive dialogue regarding the nation's triumph in its lunar expedition would indeed take place. Chandrayaan-3 has played a pivotal role in India's advancements within the space sector.
"India has achieved significant milestones in the realm of space exploration, and this mission's success holds great significance. Today, we will engage in discussions pertaining to this accomplishment within the House," he added.
Notably, the Women's Reservation Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on the previous day, advocates for a 33 percent reservation of seats for women in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. This significant constitutional amendment received approval following Minister Meghwal's concluding remarks.
The bill witnessed a division of opinions, with an overwhelming 454 members voting in favor while only two opposed it during the motion for passage, as proposed by Minister Meghwal. The amendments presented by opposition members were rejected, and voting took place on various clauses of the bill.
The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' stands as the inaugural legislation endorsed by the Lok Sabha during its special session after the recent shift to the new Parliament building on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' as a "historic legislation" that will further elevate women's empowerment and facilitate "greater participation of women in our political process." His statement followed the bill's approval in the Lok Sabha.
In other parliamentary proceedings, the Central government is prepared to present the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. This bill aims to annul certain outdated statutes and rectify minor drafting discrepancies in the Factoring Regulation Act of 2011.
As per the legislative agenda, Minister Meghwal will introduce the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, which was initially passed in the Lok Sabha earlier this year in July. Currently, it awaits consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha.
This legislative proposal seeks to repeal 65 laws that have become obsolete or have been rendered redundant by subsequent laws. Additionally, it addresses a minor drafting error within the Factoring Regulation Act of 2011. The bill also includes the repeal of Appropriation Acts spanning from 2013 to 2017, which pertained to fund withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund of India. The Minister will present the bill for deliberation and endorsement in the Upper House.
The First Schedule of the Bill catalogues 24 laws set for repeal. Among these, 16 are amending acts, while two date back to pre-1947.
The Second Schedule of the Bill contains 41 Appropriation Acts designated for repeal. This encompasses 18 Appropriation Acts specifically related to the Railways, spanning from the years 2013 to 2017.
