A special session of the Delhi Assembly will be convened on April 28 to deliberate on the issue of women's reservation, following the defeat of a related bill in the Lok Sabha due to opposition from various parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Opposition of betraying women by blocking the legislation.
Session Details
According to a statement from the Delhi Assembly secretariat, the session will commence at 11 am in the Assembly Hall. Officials indicated that the session is expected to last for a single day, but it may be extended if necessary. There is also a possibility that the Vidhan Sabha could bring a censure motion against the Opposition for not allowing the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, an official confirmed.
Background of the Bill
The central government had aimed to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures through a Constitution amendment bill. To achieve this, the government planned to increase the Lok Sabha strength from 543 to 816, with the law expected to come into effect before the 2029 parliamentary elections, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 census. Three bills were tabled in the Lok Sabha. However, opposition parties voted against the bills, alleging that the real agenda of the Centre was to carry out delimitation before conducting a caste census.
Vote Results
In the division of votes, 298 members supported the bill, while 230 voted against it. Out of 528 members who participated in the voting, the bill required 352 votes—a two-thirds majority—to be passed. The bill fell short of the required majority, leading to its defeat.
Other States Planning Similar Exercises
Other BJP-ruled states, including Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, are also considering similar special sessions to discuss the women's reservation issue.
