New Delhi, 16 April (H.S.):
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal declared Thursday a landmark in India's parliamentary annals during Lok Sabha debate on three pivotal bills advancing women's quota. The measures aim to secure timely political representation, expanding Lok Sabha seats to 815 with 272 reserved for women—beyond current strength, sparing states and men any loss.
Introduced in the extended budget session's special three-day sitting, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill-2026, Delimitation Bill-2026, and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill-2026 fulfill September 2023's Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, mandating 33% women's reservation post-2026 census and delimitation. Meghwal credited PM Modi's resolve, noting one-third SC/ST women's quota.
From Social to Political Justice
Meghwal invoked Constituent Assembly debates on justice—social via Ujjwala, PMAY, toilets; economic through Jan Dhan, Mudra, Sukanya Samriddhi, Lakhpati Didi; political via universal suffrage at independence, defying global delays. He saluted Rani Lakshmibai, Ahilyabai Holkar, Savitribai Phule, Sarojini Naidu, Aruna Asaf Ali, urging cross-party support for Viksit Bharat.
Proposed amendments to Articles 81, 82, 170, 330, 332 use 2011 census data for swift delimitation, mirroring state assemblies. Voting eyes 2029 polls, realizing Amritkaal's new Parliament promise. Vivekananda's vision and Tamil poet Bharati's empowered woman underscored the transformative push.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
