Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Women's Reservation Bill granting 33 percent seats to women in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
The bill was passed after 454 MPs voted in favour of it and two MPs vote against it, reports said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre on Tuesday introduced the new Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha of the new Parliament building. Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the first sitting of the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building.
Earlier, speaking during the debate, Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to the opposition for the unanimous passage of the women's reservation bill and said shortcomings, if any, can be rectified at a later date. Shah further said that for the BJP and PM Modi, women's empowerment is an issue of “principles and beliefs.”
“For some parties, the issue of women empowerment can be a political agenda or a slogan to win elections. However, for my party and my leader Narendra Modi, women empowerment is not a political issue, but it is a matter of principles and beliefs,” Shah said.
