Patna, April 17 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister, Samrat Choudhary, on Friday flagged off a “fun run” in Patna in support of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, as discussions around the legislation continued in the Lok Sabha.

The event, organised to demonstrate public support for women’s empowerment, saw participants run from Digha roundabout to JP Setu.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the run by waving the green flag and addressing the gathering, emphasising the importance of women’s dignity, safety, and active participation in governance.

Speaking on the occasion, Samrat Choudhary highlighted that the legislation aims to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, a move championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also credited former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for earlier initiatives in Bihar that expanded rights and representation for women.

The Chief Minister noted that the enthusiastic participation of women in the event reflected growing support for the law and the broader goal of strengthening “Nari Shakti (women’s power)” in public life.

Although the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament in 2023 and received assent from President Droupadi Murmu, its implementation has been made contingent upon the completion of the next Census and the delimitation exercise.

This requirement stems from the need to redraw parliamentary constituencies and reserve seats for women accordingly, ensuring fair and updated representation based on population data.

There are ongoing discussions within the government about expediting implementation.

One proposal under consideration involves using 2011 Census data instead of waiting for a fresh census, thereby fast-tracking the process ahead of future elections.

Additionally, reports suggest a broader plan to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to around 816 seats, which would allow approximately 33 per cent to be reserved for women without significantly impacting current representation.

A separate legislative framework for constituting a Delimitation Commission is also being explored in this context.

–IANS

ajk/rad