NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today said that it would hear on January 22, the plea filed by senior Congress leader, Jaya Thakur, seeking a direction for implementation of constitutional amendment seeking to introduce one-third women's quota in parliament, respective state assemblies, ahead of the General Election 2024.
The Madhya Pradesh based senior Congress leader, Jaya Thakur, had moved the Supreme Court seeking its direction to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Act 2023.
A two-judge bench of the Top Court, headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna and also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta adjourned the matter to January 22, Tuesday.
During the course of the hearing today, the bench took into record that no lawyer has appeared for the Centre and thereby it was forced to defer the matter for further hearing on January 22.
Senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vikas Singh, appearing for Thakur, pleaded to the Supreme Court for an hearing into the matter citing that there is urgency in it. "If the law is implemented, then it will be given effect during the general election.”
Justice Khanna, leading the bench of the Top Court, said, “I am not saying anything. The other side (Centre) is not here to argue. So let the other side come. We will take up the matter next Monday.”
It is to be noted that last year on September 29, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill.
BY Suchitra Kalyan Mohanty