Women's Reservation Bill : Live Updates From Rajya Sabha

YSRCP MP V Vijayasai Reddy extends the party's unequivocal and unwavering support for the bill, but requests law minister to extend same policy to Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils.

Former PM HD Devegowda is permitted to place a letter written by him in April to PM Modi, urging the latter to consider passing the Women's Reservation Bill, before the 2024 general elections.

VP Dhankar: Relevance of House reflected when former PM is here and that indicates our status as a house of elders, showing light to others.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi asks why 2011 census could not have been accepted as a benchmark for the immediate enforcement of the bill, just as the govt has accepted 2001 census on many occasions.

BJD MP Mamata Mohanta endorses the bill, says it's a longstanding demand of Biju Janata Dal. 

Pathak: The govt is rushing through this legislation because they needed a distraction. They want credit, but they don't want to enforce this. This could have been a historic bill, but it's not.

Also, what kind of democracy is this? Before opposition members, media gets to know that govt is bringing this bill!

AAP MP Sandeep Pathak says the bill, on careful reading, dashed his hopes because of the indefinite timeline of its enforcement.

"18 crore job, kaala dhan wapas lana, mehengayi kam karna...jumla nikla. Yeh bhi ek jumla hain."

DMK MP Kanimozhi NVN Somu: Sad part is that women will have to wait till 2029 for benefits of this bill, even if it is passed today. The govt is doing engagement ceremony, but we have no idea when marriage will be solemnized.

TMC MP Dola Sen: Manipur is only state that has 50% women reservation. What is happening in Manipur? What about mothers, daughters of Manipur? What will this 'double-engine' govt take responsibility? It has been several months.

Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen says that this bill is the outcome of the efforts of many leaders and parties.

"Credit not only BJP's. The effort to introduce women's reservation has been underway for a long time."

Nadda: This bill is latest in a series of women empowerment programmes. Many have raised concerns that OBC women not included. It was Supreme Court that granted OBC reservation in '92. It was BJP that gave India its first OBC PM.