Women Reservation Bill Fails in Parliament: 298 Votes For, 230 Against, Falls Short

The voting on the Women Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Amendment) in Parliament concluded contrary to expectations, as the crucial legislation failed to pass. The bill couldn't secure the necessary constitutional majority required for its adoption, while following the conclusion of the voting process, the Parliament has been adjourned until tomorrow.

Voting Statistics and Constitutional Requirements

In the first round of voting in Parliament, a total of 528 Members of Parliament cast their votes. According to the data, 298 MPs voted in favor of the bill, while 230 MPs voted against it. Although the support appeared numerically higher, the bill required a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting to pass under constitutional rules, while this meant a minimum of 352 votes were necessary for the bill to be cleared. Since the count fell short of this mark, the significant bill failed to pass and was defeated.

Rahul Gandhi's Criticism and 'Anti-National' Allegation

Prior to the bill's defeat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the proposed amendment on Friday, stating that it isn't actually for the benefit of women. He alleged that the bill is against the interests of OBC, SC-ST, and smaller states. Gandhi further claimed that the legislation does injustice to different regions of the country, including the South, North-East, and North-West. He stated, "We, who unite India, will neither let anyone's rights be snatched away nor let the country be divided.

PM Modi's Emotional Appeal and Justification

Before the voting commenced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a detailed post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), urging all parties to support the bill. The PM noted that discussions on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam amendment had been ongoing, even lasting until 1 AM the previous night. He clarified that logical answers had been provided to clear all confusion and every doubt had been addressed. He mentioned that information was provided to every member to resolve any lack of knowledge or grounds for opposition.

The Prime Minister stated in his message, "Four decades of politics have been played in the country on this subject of women's reservation. Now is the time that the country's half-population must get its rights. " He appealed to all political parties to decide with full sensitivity and listen to their conscience, remembering their mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives while voting. He emphasized that the eyes of crores of women were on the Parliament's intent and decision.

Amit Shah's Implementation Goal

During the discussion on the Women Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had outlined the government's objective. He stated that the government aims to fully implement the reservation for women by 2029 to provide them with more opportunities in politics. However, with the bill failing to pass in the current session, the path toward this 2029 goal remains stalled.