On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely deliver a national address at 8:30 PM, with expectations that he will speak on the developments surrounding the Women’s Reservation Bill.
The address comes shortly after the conclusion of the Special Session of Parliament, during which the proposed constitutional amendment on women’s reservation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier in the day, leaders from various political parties met Om Birla following the end of proceedings. Separately, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security in New Delhi to review India’s strategic and economic concerns amid rising tensions in West Asia.
The Bill, which proposed reserving one-third of seats for women in legislatures and expanding the size of the Lok Sabha, did not meet the required two-thirds majority.
While a majority of members supported it, the numbers fell short of the threshold needed for passage.
The proposed changes included increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to as many as 850, alongside similar adjustments in state assemblies, to accommodate the reservation policy ahead of the 2029 General Elections. These changes were likely to follow a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Following the outcome, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party criticised opposition parties, accusing them of obstructing a major reform aimed at empowering women.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Opposition would have to answer to voters over the issue.
On the other hand, parties in the opposition camp, including the Congress, argued that they support women’s reservation but opposed linking it to delimitation.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated that an earlier version of the legislation passed with consensus should be implemented without additional conditions.
Also Read: Opposition Unity Blocked Govt’s Plan, Says Priyanka Gandhi After Bill Defeat
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