SC to hear on Jan 22 plea of Cong leader seeking implementation of women's reservation bill

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on January 22 a plea of Congress leader Jaya Thakur that has sought immediate implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act-2023 so that one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies are reserved for women before the general election.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta noted on Tuesday that no lawyer has appeared for the Centre and adjourned the matter for further hearing on January 22.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Thakur, said,” There is urgency in this matter. If the law is implemented, then it will be given effect during the general election.” Justice Khanna said, “Look I am not saying anything… Let the other side come. We will take up the matter next Monday.” On November 3, 2023, the top court said it would be "very difficult" for the court to strike down a part of the women's reservation law that says it will come into effect after the Census.

It had refused to issue notice on a plea moved by Thakur and asked the counsel for the petitioner to serve the copy on the lawyer representing the Centre.

On September 21 last year, the watershed bill to reserve one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women received the parliamentary nod.

The Constitution amendment bill was passed by the Lok Sabha with near unanimity and the Rajya Sabha with unanimity.

The law will take some time before being implemented as the next census and the subsequent delimitation exercise - redrawing of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies - will ascertain the particular seats being earmarked for women.

The quota for women in Lok Sabha and assemblies will continue for 15 years and Parliament can later extend the benefit period.

While there is quota within quota for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) women, the opposition had demanded that the benefit be extended to Other Backward Classes.

There have been several efforts to pass the bill in Parliament since 1996. The last such attempt was made in 2010 when Rajya Sabha approved a bill for women's reservation, but it could not be passed in Lok Sabha.

Data shows that women MPs account for nearly 15 per cent of Lok Sabha's strength while their representation is below 10 per cent in many state assemblies.

On September 29 last year, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill.