Jaipur: Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday said the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment Bill is under active consideration, asserting that the government wants the law to be implemented before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to IANS, Meghwal said efforts had also been made during the Budget Session to move forward on the issue, stressing that the legislation should not remain unimplemented after being passed by Parliament.
“The issue of the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill is very much under consideration. We had also made an effort regarding it during the Budget Session because we should go into the 2029 elections with the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill implemented. What will we tell half the population of this country if the law has been passed by Parliament but is not being implemented?” he said.
“The focus now is on its implementation. The matter of implementation is on. The process is on,” the Union Minister added.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Act, 2023, commonly known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, provides for reservation of one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies for women. Its implementation is linked to the completion of delimitation following the next Census.
Meghwal also spoke about the upcoming local body elections in Rajasthan and said there was considerable public support for the BJP.
“There is tremendous enthusiasm among the public in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. There are two or three major reasons for this. There is a BJP government at the Centre, and there is a BJP government in the state,” he said.
He added that voters wanted the BJP to control local governments as well to ensure better coordination and faster implementation of development projects.
“The public wants that if the local government is also formed by the BJP, harmony will be maintained, coordination will remain, and our development works will increase and happen faster. This is the biggest reason. Furthermore, the work done by our Bhajan Lal, a report card of that has also reached the people,” Meghwal said, referring to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether the government planned to convene a special session of Parliament to pass the proposed delimitation Bill. He also reiterated his demand for an all-party meeting on the issue.
Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said he was reiterating the demand after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reportedly indicated in a television interview that a special session could be convened.
Kharge also linked the continued delay in proroguing the Monsoon Session to the possibility of a special session.
Earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had questioned why the Lok Sabha had not been prorogued even after being adjourned sine die, and raised concerns over the government’s intentions regarding the proposed constitutional amendment on delimitation.
(IANS)
