Congress Claims Ownership of Women’s Reservation Bill, Sonia Gandhi Asserts "It as Ours"

Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi has laid claim to the Women’s Reservation Bill, describing it as "ours," shortly after the Union Cabinet approved a proposed Constitutional amendment to provide reservations for women in parliament and state legislatures. The approval sets the stage for the introduction of this historic legislation during the current special parliamentary session.

The Congress party has been actively seeking recognition for its role in advocating for the Women’s Reservation Bill. In 2010, the bill had been cleared in the Rajya Sabha amid a tumultuous environment when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power. However, it was not pushed through the Lok Sabha at the time due to demands from coalition partners, such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Samajwadi Party, who sought quotas for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within the proposed reservation.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh underscored the party's commitment to the bill by reposting a letter from former party colleague Rahul Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, offering unconditional support for the bill's passage. Rahul Gandhi urged the Prime Minister to rise above party politics and prioritize the Women’s Reservation Bill, with the Congress extending its unconditional support.

Ramesh further highlighted the historical context of the bill, noting that Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had initially introduced Constitution amendment bills in May 1989 for one-third reservation for women in panchayats and nagarpalikas (city councils). While these bills did not pass in the Rajya Sabha, subsequent efforts by Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in April 1993 led to the successful passage of similar legislation, resulting in over 1.5 million elected women representatives in panchayats and nagarpalikas, constituting about 40% representation.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, during his tenure as Prime Minister, also introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures, which passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010, but was not taken up in the Lok Sabha. The Congress has consistently called for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha over the past nine years.

As Congress continues to advocate for the bill's passage during the ongoing special session, the exact details of the new legislation remain undisclosed, although it is expected to extend the scope of reservations beyond the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Additionally, the bill may introduce provisions for subcategories within the women’s quota, representing a significant development in the long-standing effort to increase women's representation in legislatures through quotas.

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