After a spirited eight-hour debate in which 60 members participated, the Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill, with 454 members voting in favour and two against it.
The Supreme Court has sought the Centre's response on a plea seeking the implementation of the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
'The moment the BJP loses a state, it announces some policy which never takes off.'
The women's Reservation Bill is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday during the ongoing special session of the Parliament and in Rajya Sabha on September 21, government sources said.
Terming the proposed legislation on SC/ST quota in promotion as anti-national, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday said his party would review its stand on supporting the UPA government from outside, if the Bill is passed.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday expressed confidence that the long-awaited Women's Reservation Bill would be passed by parliament this year.
'There is no shortage of fuel whatsoever.' 'India is stock surplus as far as petrol and diesel are concerned.'
A Constitution amendment bill providing for quota for SCs and STs in government job promotions was on Monday passed by Rajya Sabha with an overwhelming vote of 206 in the 245-member House.
With the Rajya Sabha failing to take up the contentious bill providing for quota in promotion for SCs and STs, the Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday demanded extending the ongoing session of Parliament and asked the Centre to find a ;middle path' in coal block issue to end disruptions caused by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Modi said the smooth passage of the quota bill is a strong answer by the Parliament to those spreading lies.
Once the Bill is passed in the assembly and notified, the Marathas will be entitled to reservation in the government jobs and in admission in government institutions.
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Constitution amendment bill to restore the power of states to make their own OBC lists after a thaw in the logjam as Opposition parties backed the legislation but demanded the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation, with many of them also calling for a caste-based census.
Strongly opposed to quota for government job promotions, Samajwadi Party on Monday asked the government to rethink on the bill, warning that it could have a very serious fall-out and may be challenged in court.
Initiating the debate on the bill from the opposition's side, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said that any delay in bringing the reservation into effect would be "gross injustice" to Indian women.
The controversial bill for quota in government job promotions on Thursday faced obstacle in Lok Sabha with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party opposing its consideration for different reasons.
Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena on Thursday thwarted an attempt in the Rajya Sabha to take up for passage the contentious Bill providing for quota in promotion for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs.
The Karnataka government has tabled a Bill in the Legislative Assembly to introduce a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts. The Bill aims to address unemployment among backward classes and promote their participation in government construction projects. The BJP has called the move an "unconstitutional misadventure" and vowed to oppose it.
Senior SP leader Mohan Singh on Monday said that his party will oppose the bill seeking to provide quota in promotions. He said: "The Supreme court has denied an approval thrice, but the government is still after making a bill on it. We will oppose it." Voting is likely to take place on the quota bill at around 5 pm in the Rajya Sabha.
The Women's Reservation Bill, which provides for 33 per cent quota for women, will be considered by the Cabinet on Monday night and is expected to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha, sources said in Delhi. The bill is expected to be referred to the Standing Committee soon after being tabled in the Upper House, they said.
Lauding the contribution made by the retiring members, the prime minister hoped they will continue to serve people with the same zeal and determination.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday defended her party's decision to abstain from voting on the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, but said she was in favour of the constitutional amendment.
Downplaying the tiff with the Samajwadi Party in Lok Sabha over the quota in promotion bill, the Congress on Wednesday indicated that communication channels will remain open with Mulayam Singh Yadav's party on the issue.
A war of words broke out on Thursday between Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and the government as the bill for job promotion quota for SCs and STs could not be passed in Lok Sabha during the Winter Session.
This was announced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi shortly before the conclusion of the winter session of Parliament during which the government had promised to bring the Constitution amendment Bill.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal, a key ally in the United Progressive Alliance, on Wednesday strongly opposed the Women's Reservation Bill in its present form. The party did not rule out withdrawing support from the Congress-led coalition at the Centre if its demand for quota within quota, for Dalit and minorities in the legislation, was not conceded. RJD's rigid stand might throw a spanner in the efforts of the UPA to ensure passage of the Bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi gave this information to reporters on Thursday.
The government is seriously considering introducing the bill in Parliament next week, the last week of the current monsoon session, in view of promises that it would be tabled in this session.
A constitutional amendment bill to restore the powers of the states to make their own OBC lists was passed by Parliament on Wednesday, with the opposition and treasury benches joining hands in the Rajya Sabha to approve the legislation.
He also asked men to work towards securing for women their due place in society.
In a shocking incident, a Samajwadi Party member stunned the Lok Sabha on Wednesday afternoon snatching the copy of the quota in promotion bill from Minister V Narayanasamy and was sought to be thwarted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
The Bihar assembly on Thursday approved a hike in quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Extremely Backward Classes and Other Backward Classes from the existing 50 per cent to 65 per cent.
Will the Congress and its president Sonia Gandhi be finally successful in pushing through the Women's Reservation Bill that provides 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and legislative assemblies? The government wants to have the bill listed in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing on March 8, aiming to make a statement on the International Women's Day. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has called the presidents of the state mahila units of her party.
Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday announced he was withdrawing his 17-day-old fast undertaken over the Maratha quota issue, but insisted he would continue his agitation until the Maharashtra government starts issuing Kunbi caste certificates to extended family members of people already having such documents, thereby allowing them to avail of reservation benefits.
Charges and counter-charges flew thick and fast minutes after the controversy in the Lok Sabha, when Samajwadi Party member Yashvir Singh snatched the copy of quota in promotion bill from Union minister V Narayansamy and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi intervened to stop him.
"We have given time to the Haryana government to bring and pass the Jat reservation Bill by March 31 (when the ongoing Budget session ends)," Malik told media persons.
Gandhi also assured support of her party to the legislation, which she said would be a "significant" step forward in the empowerment of women.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to get reservation for women in legislatures promises to shape the political discourse ahead of key state polls and Lok Sabha elections, and a parliamentary approval to the long-contested proposal will be used by the Bharatiya Janata Party to burnish his credentials as a decisive leader.
The NDA in Bihar, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, strategically countered the Mahagathbandan's moves by implementing similar policies and announcements, effectively neutralising the MGB campaign promises and maintaining their political advantage.
Udit Raj, chairman of Indian Justice Party and president of the All India Confederation of SC/ST, hailed the United Progressive Alliance government's move to pass a constitutional amendment bill for promotion of for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in both the government and private sectors. He regretted that the Bill could not be passed in the Parliament following agitation from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
