The Delhi High Court has declined to address a plea from a lawyer requesting the expedited and time-sensitive enforcement of the women's reservation law, aiming to secure a 33 percent quota for women in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections next year. Justice Subramonium Prasad, noting the petitioner's lack of "personal interest" in the matter, advised filing a public interest litigation (PIL) instead. Inquiring about the petitioner's personal interest, Justice Prasad stated, "What is your personal interest in it? Prayer is purely in public interest."
The petitioner's counsel argued that she represented the "entire womanhood." Despite this, Justice Prasad allowed the petitioner to withdraw the plea, granting her the liberty to file a PIL in accordance with applicable rules. The government lawyer mentioned that the issue of law implementation was already pending before the Supreme Court.
Officially named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the bill proposed reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies for women. Following presidential assent on September 29, the bill became law. However, its immediate implementation was deferred, pending a new census to guide delimitation for reserving seats for women.
Yogamaya MG, in her petition to the high court, emphasized the critical importance of effectively implementing the law to enhance women's representation and participation in Indian politics. She argued that a delay in its application would compromise democratic principles. Despite the unanimous passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in 2023, concerns have arisen due to the lack of concrete progress or a clear roadmap for implementation.
On September 21, the Women's Reservation Bill received parliamentary approval, aiming to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. Congress leader Jaya Thakur has filed a petition before the Apex Court, urging the immediate implementation of the 128th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, before the next general election.
The 128th Constitution (Amendment) Bill will now require approval from a majority of state assemblies. Its implementation is contingent on a delimitation exercise to redraw parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on a census scheduled for the following year. Despite the unanimous support for the bill, concerns persist regarding the delay in its implementation and the lack of a definitive plan, raising questions about the commitment of authorities to enact this crucial legislative measure.
TAGS: Jaya Thakur General Election Parliamentary Nod State Assemblies Delimitation Exercise Democratic Principles
