Jammu, April 12 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson, Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, on Sunday termed the Women’s Reservation Bill a long-pending demand and urged all political parties, including the Opposition, to come together to ensure its smooth passage during the upcoming special session of Parliament.
Speaking to IANS in Jammu, Andrabi praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Women’s Reservation Bill.
She said that when it comes to elections, all political parties seek votes from women, but Prime Minister Modi has gone beyond that by ensuring their participation in governance.
She noted that equal participation of women has already been witnessed in Panchayat and District Development Council (DDC) elections.
Now, women’s representation is set to be ensured in Parliament and State Assemblies as well, Andrabi said.
She congratulated Prime Minister Modi for this historic step, calling his vision an inspiring example for the entire world.
Andrabi said the demand for women’s reservation has remained unfulfilled for decades, noting that the country had to wait nearly 75 years for such a transformative step.
She stressed that the proposed three-day special session of Parliament, scheduled from April 16 to 18, presents a crucial opportunity to build broad political consensus and deliver on this historic reform.
Highlighting the shift in governance since 2014, Andrabi said that women across the country have increasingly felt that their rights are being recognised and protected.
She credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking decisive steps toward ensuring greater inclusion of women in governance, describing the Bill as a “historic and transformative” initiative.
“Women have not only been voters but are now becoming active stakeholders in governance,” Andrabi said, adding that the focus has moved beyond electoral participation to meaningful representation in decision-making bodies.
She also expressed optimism that the provisions of the Bill would be effectively implemented by 2029, leading to a substantial increase in women’s participation in politics.
Emphasising the need for unity, Andrabi appealed to opposition parties to rise above political differences and support the legislation during the upcoming special Parliament session.
“The nation has waited for decades. This is the time to deliver,” the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson said.
–IANS
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