Women's quota, delimitation bills will be passed in Monsoon Session: Athawale

Hyderabad, Jul 15 (PTI) Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday expressed confidence that the Women's Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill would be passed during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. He said in the previous Parliament session, the Constitution amendment bills were defeated by the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the TMC. Now the NDA has a clear majority, he told reporters here, adding that in the upcoming session, the Women’s Reservation Bill will come up and women will get reservation in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. "Delimitation is done every 30–35 years. Delimitation is also necessary," he said. The veteran politician from Maharashtra, who heads the Republican Party of India (Athawale), a BJP ally, said the bills are expected to be passed in the wake of some members of TMC and Shiv Sena (UBT) supporting the NDA and the DMK parting ways with the Congress. "We have two-thirds majority. Women's Reservation Bill and Delimitation Bill will be passed," he said. He appealed to the Congress and other parties to extend their support to the passage of the bills. On April 17, during an extended sitting of Parliament, the Constitution amendment bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha was defeated in the Lower House, with 298 members voting in support of the bill and 230 MPs voting against it. Out of the 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority. PTI VVK SJR VVK KH