Women’s Reservation Bill gets President Murmu’s nod, becomes law

Days after its historic passage in both houses of the Parliament, the Women's Reservation Bill received the nod of President Droupadi Murmu on September 29. With her assent, the legislation has been turned into a law.

The Government of India, in a gazette notification, stated that the Bill has become an Act following the approval granted by the President. “It shall come into force on such date as the central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint,” it said.

Officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the law proposes to reserve one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha and all state assemblies for women. The legislation cleared the Lok Sabha hurdle on September 20, with 454 MPs voting in its favour and 2 voting against it, demanding a sub-quota for women belonging to the Other Backward Class (OBC) and minority communities.

The Bill was passed unanimously in the Rajya Sabha on September 21 with 214 MPs voting in its favour.

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Despite the President's assent, the new law will take time to come into effect, as the seats in the state assemblies and Lok Sabha would be reserved for female candidates following the census and delimitation exercises.

The Opposition, while lending its support the Bill, has condemned the government for mpt bringing the quota for women into immediate effect. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing the Parliament during the bill's discussion, said it could only come into effect after 2029 due to the pending census and delimitation.

"Some say the Bill does not have OBC or Muslim reservation. Will the reservation be implemented early, if you do not support the Bill? Then too it will be implemented only after 2029. Support the Bill... Make a start at least,” he had said, facing towards the Opposition benches.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the Bill was a “jumla” of the BJP, as it would not come into effect till 2034. “The women’s reservation bill is also a ‘jumla’ as they (BJP) think people vote for them and forget promises made by them after some time,” he said, during a public event in Chhattisgarh on September 29.