Women’s Reservation Bill Progress

The Supreme Court of India is anticipated to consider a plea next month aimed at hastening the enforcement of the Women’s Reservation Bill ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Congress leader Jaya Thakur filed the plea on January 16, seeking the implementation of the 106th amendment to the Indian Constitution, which mandates a 33% reservation for women in elected bodies. The court, led by Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, adjourned the hearing after expressing reservations about instructing the union government to implement the constitutional amendment before the 2024 general elections.

The 106th Amendment, commonly known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, received approval from President Droupadi Murmu on September 29, 2023. However, its implementation has been postponed. In December, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed that the Bill would be put into effect after the completion of this year’s census.

Earlier, in December, a Delhi-based lawyer sought to expedite the implementation of the reservation in political parties before the Lok Sabha elections. Advocate Yogamaya MG approached the Delhi High Court with a plea asking for the Election Commission of India to elicit a response from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress on their plans for implementing women’s reservation.

Yogamaya MG argued in her plea that despite the unanimous passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023, the delay in its implementation raised concerns about the sincerity of the authorities in giving effect to this crucial legislative measure. However, Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed her plea, stating that she should file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

_{Repurposed article originally published in ShethePeople}