Editor's Pick: Women’s Reservation Bill passed in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha next

With a near total consensus, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the women’s reservation bill – officially called the Constitution (128th) Amendment Bill- 27 years since it was first introduced in the Parliament. The Bill endeavours to amend the Constitution and provide one-third reservation to women in the Lower House of the Parliament and state assemblies. Having sailed through the Lower House, the Bill would be up for consideration and passing in the Upper House on Thursday. Here, the government would have to rely on the Opposition’s support to have the two-thirds majority required to pass a constitution amendment bill. Earlier in the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought that the Bill be passed with complete consensus. On Wednesday, the division vote in the Lok Sabha had 454 members voting for and 2 against the passing of the Bill. The constitutional requirement of a “two-thirds majority of the members present and voting” was easily met. The opposing members were All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Syed Imtiyaz Jaleel. The nearly eight-hour discussion had 60 members participating, 27 of them being women MPs. Members argued over who deserved the initial credit for the landmark bill, and more importantly, highlighting the contentious issue of a separate quota for OBC women. Congress too advocated the same marking a departure from an earlier stance exhibited in 2010. Possible delay in implementation emerged as the other point of contention between the parties. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi held there was no point in delaying the legislation by linking it to the delimitation exercise that is frozen till 2026. Several Opposition MPs demanded the reservation be implemented from the 2024 general elections itself. Presenting the government’s stance, Law Minister Arjum Ram Meghwal claimed that it was against the provisions of the Constitution to provide reservation immediately. According to him, it may be put to challenge in a court of law. The Hindu’s Editorials Legislating change: On the passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha Keep calm: On solar radiation management The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz In the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, if New Zealand, Australia, the U.S., and the U.K., are the four countries, which is the fifth one? India Canada Germany China To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 21 September 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow] Open in browser [Mail icon] More newsletters Women’s Reservation Bill passed in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha next With a near total consensus, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday [passed the women’s reservation bill]( – officially called the Constitution (128th) Amendment Bill- 27 years since it was first introduced in the Parliament. The Bill endeavours to amend the Constitution and provide one-third reservation to women in the Lower House of the Parliament and state assemblies. Having sailed through the Lower House, the Bill would be up for consideration and passing in the Upper House on Thursday. Here, the government would have to rely on the Opposition’s support to have the two-thirds majority required to pass a constitution amendment bill. Earlier in the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought that the Bill be passed with complete consensus. On Wednesday, the division vote in the Lok Sabha had 454 members voting for and 2 against the passing of the Bill. The constitutional requirement of a “two-thirds majority of the members present and voting” was easily met. The opposing members were All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Syed Imtiyaz Jaleel. The nearly eight-hour discussion had 60 members participating, 27 of them being women MPs. Members argued over who deserved the initial credit for the landmark bill, and more importantly, highlighting the contentious issue of a separate quota for OBC women. Congress too advocated the same marking a departure from an earlier stance exhibited in 2010. Possible delay in implementation emerged as the other point of contention between the parties. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi held there was no point in delaying the legislation by linking it to the delimitation exercise that is frozen till 2026. Several Opposition MPs demanded the reservation be implemented from the 2024 general elections itself. Presenting the government’s stance, Law Minister Arjum Ram Meghwal claimed that it was against the provisions of the Constitution to provide reservation immediately. According to him, it may be put to challenge in a court of law. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Legislating change: On the passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha]( [Arrow][Keep calm: On solar radiation managementÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz In the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, if New Zealand, Australia, the U.S., and the U.K., are the four countries, which is the fifth one? - India - Canada - Germany - China To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[NEET-PG, 2023 cut-off reduced to ‘zero’ percentile] NEET-PG, 2023 cut-off reduced to ‘zero’ percentile]( [[White House supports Canadian probe into ‘serious allegations’ around Nijjar’s killing, urges India to cooperate: John Kirby] White House supports Canadian probe into ‘serious allegations’ around Nijjar’s killing, urges India to cooperate: John Kirby]( [[Lok Sabha passes historic women’s reservation Bill] Lok Sabha passes historic women’s reservation Bill]( [[India issues tit-for-tat travel advisory for Canada] India issues tit-for-tat travel advisory for Canada]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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