The historic Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in both the houses of the parliament during the special parliamentary session has finally become a law after it received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu. Through this law, women will now have 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies. However, the law will not be applicable during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as it can only be applied after the next census and the delimitation exercise subsequent to the census.

Confirming this, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal tweeted, “With the approval of the historic ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act-2023’ by President Droupadi Murmu, this Bill has become an important law of India.” The Bill was introduced by Meghwal in the Lok Sabha on September 19. It was passed by the Rajya Sabha on September 21.

Post the assent by the President of India, the bill will be officially known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act. According to the gazette notification, dated September 28, “It shall come into force on such date as the central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.” The bill also does not require ratification by the states because it does not actually change the number of seats that states will have in the parliament so the representation in the parliament is not really affected.

“Prima facie, the women’s reservation Bill should have had ratification by 50 per cent of the states since it mandates mandatory change in the composition of each Assembly constituency.

It is, however, clear that there is no one to oppose the Bill on this ground and, therefore, the government has decided to go ahead without attempting state ratification. Secondly, it is clear that this is further proof of the government’s non-intention to bring in anything in the near future, not only till 2029 but even possibly not till 2034. And hence they may take the plea that they will reconsider state ratification at a later date, which in my view would be equally unconstitutional after Presidential assent,” Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told The Indian Express.

The ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ provides 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative Assemblies, becoming the first Bill to be passed in the new Parliament building. Further the seats already reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will also come within the purview of women’s reservation.

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