The Apex Court Seeks Answer From the Centre to Bring 33% Women Reservation

https://lawinsider.in/news/women-reservation-bill-plea-before-sc-seeks-33-reservation-for-women-in-parliament-state-legislatures

The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) represented by Advocate Prashant Bhushan filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking to re-introduce Women Reservation Bill, 2008. This aimed to secure 33% quota or 1/3rd reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Legislative assemblies through an amendment. It was heard by the honourable bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice J.K Maheshwari. They considered it an issue of substantial consequence.

It was brought to the notice of the court that it has been 25 years since the first women’s reservation bill was introduced. The petition also submitted that, “It was brought to the notice of the court that this bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in 2010 but lapsed before the Lok Sabha as it was dissolved”. In addition, the contention raised by them was that the decision to not introduce such an important and beneficial bill is illogical and unfair, especially, since there is virtual consensus of all major political parties.

In this case, the Union of India was represented by Advocated Kanu Agarwal submitted that a serious issue of maintainability arises in the matter, to which the court agreed to hear the matter on the next date i.e., March 2023 and sought the response of Union of India on this issue. [National Federation of Indian Women v. Union of India, WP(c) 1158/2021]