Rajya Sabha approves bill enabling 33% women reservation in J-K Assembly

SRINAGAR — The Rajya Sabha made a significant move on Monday by passing The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2023, aiming to allocate 33 per cent of seats within the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for women.

According to the news agency KNS, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar permitted Ministry of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai to introduce the bill, which had already secured passage in the Lok Sabha the previous week.

The essence of The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 revolves around earmarking 33% of seats in both the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and the Puducherry Assembly for women, a pivotal step toward enhancing gender representation and inclusivity in legislative bodies.

Additionally, the Rajya Sabha also endorsed The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023. This amendment aims to introduce modifications to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, reflecting further changes within the region.