Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India is on the verge of taking one of the most significant decisions of the 21st century as Parliament meets to end “decades of waiting” by amending the Women’s Reservation Act to enable its implementation by 2029.“Our Parliament is close to creating a new history. A new history that will realise the visions of the past; that will fulfil the resolutions of the future. The government took the first step with the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, or Women’s Reservation Bill, which was passed in 2023 in the newly constructed Parliament building,” he said.Addressing the Nari Shakti Vandan sammelan, Modi said, “The country’s Nari Shakti has touched new heights through hard work, courage and confidence.”He stressed the need for reservation for women in the democratic structure, saying their participation strengthens democracy. From the freedom struggle to the decisions of the constituent Assembly, he said, women have made immense contributions to building independent India.“Wherever women have held positions in the country, from the President to the Prime Minister, they have created unique legacies,” he added.The PM cited Panchayati Raj institutions as a strong example of women’s leadership.“Today, over 14 lakh women are serving in local government bodies. India also has one of the highest numbers of women pilots in the world. Increased participation of women in decision-making brings greater sensitivity to issues such as health, water, education and nutrition,” he said.He highlighted that since 2014, the NDA government has introduced and implemented several schemes to support women at every stage of life.“Everyone recognised the need for women’s reservation for decades, and discussions continued for over 40 years. Every party and several generations contributed to this effort. When the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was introduced in 2023, it was passed unanimously, and there was a demand for its implementation before 2029,” he said.“Keeping the 2029 deadline and the Opposition’s demand in mind, we deliberated on ways to implement it, consulted experts and have now called for a special discussion in Parliament. Our effort is to ensure that this too is achieved through dialogue, support and consensus,” he added.Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who also attended the event, shared a toll-free number — 9667173333 — for people to give a missed call in support of the Act.In September 2023, Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that provided for the reservation of one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative Assemblies. The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023. Under the current law, the reservation for women would not have become enforceable before 2034, as it was tied to the completion of the delimitation exercise post 2027 Census.To implement it from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, changes were needed in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; hence, the government is holding the special sitting to pass the amendments to the law.