The recently concluded winter session of Parliament, which ended on December 19, was marked by political debates and protests. However, amidst the din, several private member bills introduced by Members of Parliament in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha successfully brought pressing gender issues to the forefront of national discourse.
Focus on Criminalising Marital Rape
One of the most significant proposals came from Congress MP Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram. He introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha seeking to amend the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Amendment) Bill 2024. The bill's statement of objects and reasons emphatically calls the criminalisation of marital rape an "urgent necessity" for India's legal framework.
It highlights that Section 63 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, currently excludes marital rape from being a punishable offense, permitting non-consensual sex with a wife aged 18 or above. Tharoor's bill argues this exception is an outdated, patriarchal concept rooted in colonial-era mindsets that viewed wives as property. "Criminalising marital rape affirms that consent is a fundamental human right, regardless of marital status," the bill asserts.
Push for Menstrual and Paternity Leave Benefits
Parallel to the debate on marital rape, the issue of menstrual leave gained traction through two separate bills. Congress MP Kadiyam Kavya from Warangal introduced 'The Menstrual Benefits Bill 2024' in the Lok Sabha. It argues for paid leave for working women during menstruation, citing biological complexity and intense pain, and proposes penalties for non-compliant employers.
Similarly, Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi from Samastipur introduced 'The Menstrual Leave and Hygiene Bill 2024'. This bill expands the scope to include not just paid leave for working women and female students but also mandates access to menstrual hygiene facilities and related health benefits.
On the caregiving front, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule from Baramati proposed 'The Paternity and Parental Benefit Bill 2025'. The bill reasons that modern family structures need legal reforms for equitable caregiving. It introduces paid paternity leave, giving fathers the legal right to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. It also suggests flexible provisions allowing parents to divide caregiving responsibilities within 18 months of childbirth or adoption.
A Call for a National Commission for Men
Adding another dimension to the gender discourse, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal introduced a bill calling for the constitution of a 'National Commission for Men'. The proposed commission aims to safeguard the rights and welfare of men, seeking to create a gender-balanced constitutional framework. The bill emphasizes that this should be done without diluting the legal rights and protections guaranteed to women.
The introduction of these diverse private member bills underscores a growing parliamentary effort to address long-standing gender inequities. While these bills are yet to be debated and face a long legislative journey, they have successfully ignited crucial conversations on marital rights, workplace equality, and shared parenting responsibilities in contemporary India.
