“Future will be brighter”: Lara Dutta hails passage of women’s reservation Bill

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 26 (ANI): Actor and former beauty queen, Lara Dutta, on Monday hailed the passage of the women’s reservation Bill in Parliament.

The draft legislation, which was passed by an overwhelming majority in both Houses, provides for a 33 per cent reservation for women not just in the Parliament but also in state legislative bodies.

At the success party of her recent release ‘Ishq-e-Nadaan’ in Mumbai on Monday, Lara shared her excitement with ANI, saying, “It’s brilliant. I was so excited to see this entire (legislative) process that went into the tabling and passage of this Bill in Parliament. I think the future can only get brighter from here and it’s about time.”

Actor Patralekhaa, too, shared her thoughts on the Bill.

“It marks a great leap for our country, and especially for the women. We are thankful to our honourable members of Parliament for passing this Bill,” she told ANI.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Bill in the first sitting of the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building, during the Special Session that was convened recently. The Bill was named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

Introducing the Bill in the House, the minister said, “This bill is in relation to women empowerment. By amending Article 239AA of the Constitution, 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Article 330A reservations of seats for SC/ST in the House of People.” 

The ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ was the first Bill passed by Lok Sabha after it shifted to the new Parliament building on Tuesday. 

On September 21 (Thursday), the Parliament passed the historic draft legislation, with the Rajya Sabha clearing it unanimously.

A total of 214 members in the Upper House, voted in support of the Bill and none voted against it. The members welcomed the passing of the Bill by thumping their desks.

BJP members raised slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and greeted him after the legislation was passed.

Marking a giant leap in the empowerment of one-half of the country’s population, chants of ‘Modi Modi’ were raised by women MPs as they took turns to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the passage of the draft legislation.

Women members from both Houses of Parliament, including PT Usha, and Union Ministers Meenakashi Lekhi and Smriti Irani, were all smiles as they presented a bouquet to Prime Minister Modi on the historic passage of the Bill in Parliament.

Lok Sabha passed the Bill on Wednesday in the Parliament’s Special Session with 454 members voting in favour of the legislation and two against it.

Earlier Rajya Sabha passed the Women’s Reservation Bill in 2010 during the Congress-led UPA government but it could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha.

The new Women’s Reservation Bill was passed during the Special Session of Parliament which began on Monday. The two Houses were later adjourned sine die.