Rajya Sabha is currently discussing the Women's Reservation Bill. The Bill seeks to provide one-third reservation to women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Amendment) Bill in the House to further amend the Constitution of India in this regard. Yesterday, Lok Sabha had passed the Bill. The legislation is called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
 
Moving the Bill in the House, Mr Meghwal said this legislation will promote women's empowerment in the country. He said, this is also an important step towards making India a developed nation in the Amrit Kaal. Mr Meghwal also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing welfare schemes like Ujjwala Yojana, Mudra Yojana, and more for the benefit of women. He said, a 33 percent reservation for women belonging to SCs and STs will also be provided within the existing quota, and for this census and delimitation are essential.
    
Participating in the discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that bringing this Bill shows the government's commitment to the social and economic empowerment of women. She said, the Bill provides one-third of reservation in the Lok Sabha and all the Assemblies in the States and in the Delhi Assembly. She informed that there will also be a reservation for women belonging to SCs and STs in respect of the seats reserved in these categories. Ms. Sitharaman said that the Bill also States that this reservation will not apply until Lok Sabha or the Legislative Assembly of a particular state or the Legislative Assembly of Delhi is dissolved. 
   
BJP leader J P Nadda expressed confidence that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which was passed in Lok Sabha yesterday, will pass in Rajya Sabha unanimously. He said, women always had an important role in the Indian culture. Mr Nadda said, the Bharatiya Janata Party does not want to take a political advantage but aims at empowering women. He said, in the last nine years, the Narendra Modi Government has taken several decisions for the empowerment of Women.
   
 
Supporting the Bill, Congress leader Ranjeet Ranjan said that women’s representation in Parliament should go up. However, she questioned the delay in bringing the Women’s Reservation Bill to Parliament.
 
Dr Kanimozhi Somu of DMK supported the Bill saying that the Women’s Reservation Bill is a matter of right and not a favour to women. Sandeep Kumar Pathak of AAP  also spoke in favour of Bill and said that this legislation is very important for society and the country.  Dr K Keshava  Rao of BRS  supported the Bill and termed it a historic legislation. V. Vijayasai Reddy of YSRCP said that his party is extending full support to the Bill and demanded that the women's reservation should also be provided in the Rajya Sabah and State Legislative Councils.
 
Dola Sen of AITC, Saroj Pandey of BJP, Pramod Tiwari of Congress, Jaya Bachchan of SP, Mahua Maji of JMM, and Sulata Deo of BJD were among those who participated in the discussion. The discussion on the  Bill is underway.