LS nods to two bills extending women quota to Puducherry, JK assemblies

Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed two bills that seek to extend the provisions of the Women's Reservation Act to the legislative assemblies of the Union Territories of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

Replying to a debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Second Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories (Amendment) Government Bill, Home Minister Nityanand Rai said the twin measures will ensure greater representation and participation of women as public representatives in law will make possible. formation processes in the two legislative assemblies.

Targeting the opposition, Rai said that “whether it was the Mughal rule, the rule of the aggressors, the British rule or the Congress governments”, women's rights were taken away, they were never given adequate opportunities to to grow and that injustice was done to them.

Rai said that after the abrogation of Article 370, widow's pension in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 100 percent saturation coverage and central centers for the benefit of women have come up in every district of the Union Territory.

In Puducherry, provision has been made for gender budgeting for the first time in the 2023-2024 budget at an amount of Rs 1,332 crore, the minister said, adding that the 33 per cent reservation has been given to women in police, fire brigade and local authorities. bodies.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rule, women were given respect and proper opportunities, Rai said, adding that women created new records based on their knowledge and talent.

The Reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir (Second Amendment) Bill seeks to provide reservation for women in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which came into force after the enactment of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment), 2023.

The Bill on the Amendment of the Government of the Union Territories seeks to ensure that as near as possible one-third of the total seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Puducherry are reserved for women.

It will take some time for the law to be implemented as the next census and subsequent delimitation – redrawing of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies – will reveal which seats are specifically earmarked for women.

The quota for women in the Lok Sabha and assemblies will remain in force for 15 years and Parliament can later extend the benefit period.