Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday underscored the long political consensus behind women's empowerment while speaking on the Nari Shakti Push while addressing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan' at Vigyan Bhawan today, as Parliament prepares to take up a detailed discussion on the implementation of the Women's Reservation law.
The Prime Minister recalled that when the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was introduced in 2023, it was passed unanimously by both Houses of Parliament.
Modi pointed out that there was also broad agreement at the time that the law must be implemented by 2029, calling it unacceptable to pass legislation without a clear execution timeline. He said opposition members had strongly and vocally pressed for the 2029 deadline, and the government had taken those views seriously.
Keeping the agreed timeline in mind, Modi said the government has been engaged in sustained consultations, deliberations and brainstorming, including a closer examination of constitutional provisions and expert advice. He added that a comprehensive discussion on the issue is scheduled to begin in Parliament from April 16, signalling the next step towards operationalising the landmark legislation.
Addressing the issue, Modi said the debate around greater political representation for women has been ongoing for nearly four decades and has seen contributions from multiple generations and political parties. He noted that every party had, in its own way, worked to advance the idea.
PM Modi said that our country's Parliament is close to creating a new history. A new history that will realize the concepts of the past, which will fulfill the resolutions of the future. The resolution of an India that is egalitarian, where social justice is not just a slogan, but a natural part of our work culture, our decision-making process.
The government is considering two significant modifications to its approach. Under the Nari Shakti Vandan Act passed in 2023, the implementation of women's reservation was linked to the completion of a fresh census and subsequent delimitation exercise. However, with delays in conducting the census, the Centre is now planning to move ahead using population data from the 2011 census to avoid further postponement.
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