A significant move was made in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday with the introduction of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023. Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, introduced the bill in the House, aiming to bring about greater gender representation and participation of women in the legislative processes within the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
The proposed bill aligns with the Parliament’s previous enactment of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, facilitating the reservation of one-third of the total seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and the Delhi assembly.
To echo these provisions in Jammu and Kashmir, the bill seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. Its primary focus is to offer women enhanced representation and involvement in the decision-making procedures within the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
During the bill’s introduction, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy expressed concerns, highlighting that elections for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly have not been scheduled yet. Roy questioned the urgency behind introducing the bill at this moment.
This legislative initiative is viewed as a significant step toward ensuring a more inclusive and representative political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir, marking an effort to empower and engage women in the state’s governance and law-making processes.