On a Thursday in September 2023, India's Upper House gave its final assent to a long-deferred promise: one-third of the seats in the national and state legislatures are to be set aside for women. The measure, named the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, completes a journey that began in 2010 and stalled in the Lok Sabha, and it arrives in the new Parliament building as a moment the nation's leaders and public figures have chosen to celebrate. Whether a reservation written into the Constitution will change who truly holds power, and when, is a question the day's votes leave open for the years ahead.
Celebrities Hail Women's Reservation Bill as Parliament Clears Path for One-Third Seats for Women
Rajya Sabha passed it with all 215 members voting in favour
Mark
Rajya Sabha voted 215 to nothing. Why does that number stand out?
Mimi
Because the bill had stalled before. The Rajya Sabha passed a version in 2010, and it lapsed in the Lok Sabha. This time both Houses cleared it within two days.
Mark
What does the bill actually change?
Mimi
Meghwal said new provisions go into Articles 330, 332 and 334. One-third of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats would be reserved for women.
Luke
Careful, though. The report says nothing on when that starts or how seats get assigned. So far we have a passed bill, not seats changing hands.
Mark
Who is speaking in this story?
Mimi
Mostly actors and the Prime Minister. Kulhari, Bhatt, Sandhu, Kalra and Pirzada were there at the invitation of Anurag Thakur and spoke warmly.
Luke
Which means the reactions are celebration, not analysis. Nobody quoted here assesses how it will work, and no critics appear in this piece.
Mark
And the 215 votes?
Luke
The report says all 215 members voting were in favour. It doesn't give the total strength of the House or say whether anyone abstained, so I'd stick to that wording.
Mimi
Fair. Modi called it unanimous support, but the confirmed fact is the 215.
Il Polso
- After more than a decade of stalling, the Women's Reservation Bill cleared Parliament in a single week, with the Lok Sabha passing it first and the Rajya Sabha following with every voting member in favour.
- The bill amends Articles 330, 332 and 334 of the Constitution, reaching into the Lok Sabha and every state assembly and setting aside one-third of seats for women.
- Celebrations rippled outward from the chamber, with the Prime Minister calling it a defining democratic moment and film and pageant figures gathering to applaud it as a historic gain for gender equality.
- The path to real effect is still unmarked, since the timing of the reservation and the mechanics of assigning seats remain undetermined and the law's practical impact is yet to unfold.
On a Thursday in September 2023, India's Upper House gave its final assent to a long-deferred promise: one-third of the seats in the national and state legislatures are to be set aside for women. The measure, named the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, completes a journey that began in 2010 and stalled in the Lok Sabha, and it arrives in the new Parliament building as a moment the nation's leaders and public figures have chosen to celebrate. Whether a reservation written into the Constitution will change who truly holds power, and when, is a question the day's votes leave open for the years ahead.
On Thursday, members of the Rajya Sabha voted on the Women's Reservation Bill, and all 215 who cast a vote were in favour. The measure, formally called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, sets aside one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and in every state assembly across the country.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the constitutional amendment in the Upper House, explaining that new provisions would be inserted into Articles 330, 332 and 334. He called it a major step. The Lok Sabha had already passed the bill the day before by an overwhelming majority, the first bill it cleared during the special session held in the new Parliament building.
The idea itself is old. The Rajya Sabha had passed a similar bill in 2010, but it lapsed in the Lok Sabha and was never taken up. This week's votes accomplished what that earlier attempt could not.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a defining moment in the nation's democratic journey, thanking the Rajya Sabha members and describing the law as a tribute to the countless women who have built the nation. Actors and a former Miss Universe, invited by Union Minister Anurag Thakur, joined the chorus, calling the passage historic and a source of pride, and hoping it would bring gender equality to the coming generation.
The report does not say when the reservation will take effect or how seats will be assigned, so its practical effect remains to be seen.
On Thursday, Rajya Sabha members voted on the Women's Reservation Bill, and all 215 who cast a vote were in favour. The measure, formally named the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and in every state assembly in the country.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the constitutional amendment in the Upper House that day. He explained that new provisions would be inserted into Articles 330, 332 and 334 of the Constitution. Through them, one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and in all state assemblies would be set aside for women. He called it a major step.
The Lok Sabha had already acted. On Wednesday it passed the bill by what was described as an overwhelming majority, setting aside 33 per cent of seats in national and state legislatures. It was the first bill the lower House passed during the special session, which began in the new Parliament building after the move on Tuesday.
The idea is not new. The Rajya Sabha passed a Women's Reservation Bill in 2010, under the Congress-led UPA government. It was never taken up in the Lok Sabha, and it lapsed there. This week's votes finished what that earlier effort did not.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that it was a defining moment in the nation's democratic journey. He congratulated 140 crore Indians and thanked the Rajya Sabha MPs for voting for the bill, calling such unanimous support gladdening. He wrote that the law was not merely legislation but a tribute to the countless women who have made the nation, and that it ushers in an era of stronger representation and empowerment.
Several women from the entertainment world were present, invited by Union Minister Anurag Thakur. Actor Kirti Kulhari thanked him for including them and called the passage a historic moment for the whole country. She said the coming generation would grow up in an environment with gender equality, and described it as an extraordinary thing to have happened in India.
Actor Hrishitaa Bhatt said it was a matter of pride for every woman, and that if women held 33 per cent of leadership positions in India, the country would move forward globally. Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu said women belong wherever decisions are made. She called the move a testimony to India's commitment to women-led development, and said she was happy to have experienced the new Parliament building.
Actor Smriti Kalra thanked the Prime Minister and said women's share in policymaking would now rise to 33 per cent, calling it the start of a new era. Actor Mehreen Pirzada said the new building was welcomed with the bill's passage, and that women would now have a big say in governing the country.
The report does not say when the reservation will take effect or how the seats will be assigned, so its practical effect is yet to be seen.
Citazioni salienti
A defining moment in our nation's democratic journey. Congratulations to 140 crore Indians.— Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on X
It's an extraordinary thing that happened in our country.— Actor Kirti Kulhari
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