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{{Short description|Constitutional amendment of India}}
{{distinguish|Women's Reservation Bill, 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox legislation
| imagesize = 250
| enacted_by = [[Parliament of India]]
}}
{{Constitution of India}}

The '''Women's Reservation Bill''' or '''The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 9 March 2010''', is a bill passed in the [[Parliament of India]] which says to amend the [[Constitution of India]] to reserve a third 3 of all seats in the lower house of Parliament of India, the [[Lok Sabha]], and in all state [[legislative assemblies]] for women.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/women-reservation-bill-2010-two-proposed-constitutional-amendments-sc-st-quota-parliament-assemblies-8946072/|title=Women's Reservation Bill, version 2010: Two proposed constitutional amendments mirrored SC-ST quota in Parliament, Assemblies|date=19 September 2023 }}</ref> The seats were proposed to be reserved in rotation and would have been determined by draw of lots in such a way that a seat would be reserved only once in three consecutive general elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/womens-reservation-bill-imperfect-but-important-8949050/|title=Women's reservation Bill – imperfect but important|date=21 September 2023 }}</ref>

The [[Rajya Sabha]] passed the bill on 9 March 2010.<ref name=ra>{{cite news |title=Rajya Sabha passes Women's Reservation Bill|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajya-Sabha-passes-Womens-Reservation-Bill/articleshow/5663003.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811071147/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-03-09/india/28137030_1_unruly-scenes-women-s-reservation-bill-constitution-amendment-bill |url-status=live |archive-date=11 August 2011 |work=[[The Times of India]]|date=9 March 2010 }}</ref> The [[Lok Sabha]] did not vote on the bill.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lok-Sabha-Speaker-Meira-Kumar-calls-for-womens-empowerment/articleshow/18872066.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505090251/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-09/india/37581570_1_international-women-s-day-women-s-reservation-bill-speaker-meira-kumar |url-status=live |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar calls for women's empowerment|date=9 March 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=3 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Uproar in India Over Female Lawmaker Quota |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/asia/10india.html?_r=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=9 March 2010}}</ref> The bill lapsed after having pending status in the Lok Sabha; it expired twice, in 2014 and 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nari-shakti-vandan-key-points-of-womens-reservation-bill/articleshow/103777937.cms|title=Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: Key points of women's reservation bill|newspaper=The Times of India |date=19 September 2023 }}</ref><ref name="livemint.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/whats-the-womens-reservation-bill-its-history-and-who-brought-it-first-11695068266469.html|title=What's the women's reservation bill, its history, and who brought it first|date=19 September 2023 }}</ref>

An [[Women's Reservation Bill 2023|equivalent bill]] was passed by Lok Sabha on 20 September 2023 with 454 votes in favour and two against.<ref name="IN_votes_third_seats_for_women">{{cite Q|Q122735230|url-status=live}}</ref> It was then passed by the Rajya Sabha unanimously. {{as of|2023|09|21}} the bill was pending presidential assent.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.news18.com/videos/breaking-news/nari-shakti-vandan-adhiniyam-women-s-reservation-bill-passed-in-rajya-sabha-pm-modi-news18-8586817.html | title=Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam | Women's Reservation Bill Passed in Rajya Sabha | PM Modi | News18 }}</ref> President [[Droupadi Murmu]] signed the bill on 28 September 2023, and the gazette notification was also published the same day, which made it clear that the reservation will come into force soon after the first delimitation (frozen until 2026).

==Standing Committee recommendation==
Originally, the Bill proposed reserving women in all legislative bodies,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/union-cabinet-meeting-sparks-speculation-on-key-legislation-during-special-parliament-session/article67321267.ece|title=Union Cabinet reportedly greenlights Women's Reservation Bill; official confirmation awaited|date=18 September 2023 }}</ref> but the Standing Committee suggested restricting the reservation in the 'House of People' Lok Sabha in the Centre and Assembly in States and Union Territories with the legislature. This recommendation was accepted by the Government and incorporated into the Bill.

The bill was opposed by then [[Samajwadi Party]] chief [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]], commenting that “if the bill is passed it will fill Parliament with the kind of women who invite catcalls and whistles”.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://indianexpress.com/article/india/latest-news/mulayam-draws-flak-for-his-sexist-remark-on-women/|title=Mulayam draws flak for his 'sexist' remark on women|date=24 March 2010}}</ref> The remarks were criticized by leaders across several parties and described as sexist in media reports and by some of his own party colleagues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/photos/news/mulayam-booed-for-sexist-remarks-on-womens-bill-7108#photo-75936|title= Mulayam booed for sexist remarks on Women's Bill}}</ref>

==History of Women's reservation bills==
In 1987, Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]]’s government constituted a 14-member committee led by Union Minister Margaret Alva to give recommendations for improving the status of women.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/a-political-timeline-of-the-women-s-reservation-bill-from-rajiv-gandhi-to-narendra-modi-news-318959|title=A Political Timeline Of The Women's Reservation Bill From Rajiv Gandhi To Narendra Modi}}</ref><ref name="livemint.com"/> Rajiv Gandhi introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill to provide one-third reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha but failed to get passed in Rajya Sabha in September 1989. In 1992, Prime Minister [[PV Narasimha Rao]]'s government passed the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts which mandated 33.3 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/tracing-the-political-history-of-the-womens-reservation-bill|title=Tracing the political history of the Women's Reservation Bill|date=19 September 2023 }}</ref> The women's reservation bill was first introduced by [[HD Deve Gowda]]-led government, as Constitution (81st Amendment) Bill, 1996 in the 11th Lok Sabha on 12 September 1996. It was then referred to the Joint Committee of the two Houses of parliament, but the bill lapsed with the dissolution of the 11th Lok Sabha.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/history-of-womens-reservation-bill-may-put-india-bloc-unity-to-test-4402837|title=History Of Women's Reservation Bill May Put INDIA Bloc Unity To Test}}</ref> The joint parliamentary committee report examining the women's reservation Bill in 1996 recommended that reservation be provided for women of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) once the Constitution was amended to allow for reservation for OBCs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/should-there-be-sub-quota-for-obc-women-debate-rages/articleshow/103792096.cms|title=Should there be sub-quota for OBC women? Debate rages|newspaper=The Times of India |date=20 September 2023 }}</ref>

In 1993, a [[constitutional amendment]] was passed in India that called for a random one third of village council leader, or [[sarpanch]], positions in [[gram panchayat]], to be reserved for women.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/impact-women-policymakers-public-goods-india | title=Women as Policy Makers: Evidence from a Randomized Policy Experiment in India | author=Chattopadhyay, Raghabendra, and [[Esther Duflo]] | journal=[[Econometrica]] | year=2004 | volume=72 | issue=5 | pages=1409–43 | publisher=[[The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab]] | doi=10.1111/j.1468-0262.2004.00539.x | hdl=1721.1/39126 |access-date=December 14, 2018 | hdl-access=free | url-access=subscription }}</ref>

A long-term plan was made to extend this reservation to the federal parliament and to state legislative assemblies.<ref>[http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=134425 Women are seeking 33% reservation in jobs, promotions]</ref><ref>[https://www.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/24spec2.htm Women's Bill: What's the fuss about?] [[Rediff]] 24 August 2005.</ref><ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980811/22350054.html The reservations business], ''[[Indian Express]]'', 11 August 1998.</ref>

On 19 September 2023, the [[Narendra Modi]] government introduced a form of the bill as the [[128th Constitutional Amendment Bill]], 2023,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/govt-brings-in-womens-reservation-bill-one-third-of-seats-reserved-also-in-sc-st-quota-parliament-8946943/|title=Calling himself 'chosen one', PM Modi brings in women's Bill, with SC/ST quota|date=19 September 2023 }}</ref> during Parliament Special Session in Lok Sabha in [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|new parliament building]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/govt-brings-in-womens-reservation-bill-one-third-of-seats-reserved-also-in-sc-st-quota-parliament-8946943/|title=Govt brings in women's reservation Bill: One-third of seats to be reserved, also in SC/ST quota|date=19 September 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/womens-reservation-bill-updates-mallikarjun-kharge-lok-sabha-rajya-sabha-pm-modi-101695117504188.html|title=Mallikarjun Kharge vs Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha over women's reservation bill remarks|date=19 September 2023 }}</ref> The bill was passed by Lok Sabha on 20 September 2023 with 454 votes in favour and two against.<ref name="IN_votes_third_seats_for_women"/> {{As of|2023|09|20}}, the bill was expected to be voted on by Rajya Sabha;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-urges-rajya-sabha-mps-to-unanimously-approve-womens-reservation-bill/article67322231.ece|title=PM Modi urges Rajya Sabha MPs to unanimously approve women's reservation bill|newspaper=The Hindu |date=19 September 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/rajya-sabha-proceedings-adjourned-for-day-house-to-meet-on-september-20/cid/1967416|title=Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned for day; House to meet on September 20}}</ref> the result was unanimous approval.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Only two members voted against the bill were [[Asaduddin Owaisi]] and [[Imtiyaz Jaleel]] from [[All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Only those MPs voted against the bill| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/only-these-two-mps-voted-against-the-womens-reservation-bill-in-lok-sabha/articleshow/103816053.cms|website=timesofindia.indiatimes.com/|date=20 September 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam]]
* [[List of amendments of the Constitution of India]]
; Law in India
*[[Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013]]

; Women in India
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Domestic violence in India]]
* [[Dowry system in India]]
* [[Female foeticide in India]]
* [[Gender inequality in India]]
* [[Gender pay gap in India]]
* [[Men's rights movement in India]]
* [[National Commission for Women]]
* [[Rape in India]]
* [[Welfare schemes for women in India]]
* [[Women in India]]
* [[Women in Indian Armed Forces]]
* [[Women's suffrage in India]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Reservation in India]]
[[Category:Proposed laws of India]]
[[Category:2010 in Indian law]]
[[Category:2010 in law]]
[[Category:Manmohan Singh administration]]
[[Category:Women's rights in India]]
[[Category:Identity politics in India]]
[[Category:Indian women in politics| ]]
[[Category:2010 in women's history]]

Women's Reservation Bill, 2010 - Revision history

RyanQuintana2: Made pg - done