Indian parliament sets aside 33% of seats for women

FILE PHOTO: A policewoman walks past a street across India's new parliament in New Delhi, India, September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Lawmakers in India's upper house of Parliament on Thursday gave final consent to a bill to reserve 33% seats in the lower house and state assemblies for women a day after the landmark legislation was approved by the lower house.

After 11 hours of debate, over 200 MPs in the upper house voted in favour of the bill aimed at improving gender equality in the corridors of power.