Rajya Sabha passed the historic Women's Reservation Bill by a majority of 186 to 1. The Bill has come a long way since its introduction in 1996. Here on, the Bill will be forwarded to Lok Sabha and once passed there, it will go to 14 state assemblies before the President of India stamps it as law of the land.

September 12, 1996 - During the Deve Gowda government, then Law Minister Ramakant D Khalap introduces the Women's Reservation Bill (81st Constitutional Amendment Bill) that seeks 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

September 13, 1996 - Only 230 Lok Sabha MPs show up in the Parliament which was far short of the 273 required to approve a constitutional amendment.

December 9, 1996 - Joint Parliamentary Committee chaired by Geeta Mukherjee, presents its report on the Women's Reservation Bill to the Lok Sabha.

June 1997: Opposing the Bill, Sharad Yadav says: "Do you think these women with short hair can speak for women, for our women...''

1998: Atal Bihari Vajpayee's NDA government re-introduces the bill in the 12th Lok Sabha (84th Constitutional Amendment Bill).

July 13, 1998: When Law minister Mr. M. Thambidurai rises to introduce the bill, RJD MP Surendra Prasad Yadav goes to the well of the House, snatches it from Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi and tears it to bits.

1999: The NDA government re-introduces the bill in the 13th Lok Sabha.

2002: The bill is introduced in parliament.

2003: Bill introduced twice in parliament.

March 2003: After an all-party meeting, BJP spokesperson Vijay Malhotra says: "We want the Bill passed in this session itself, with or without consensus".

May 2003: At an all-party meeting, Speaker Manohar Joshi announces deferring of the Bill.

March 2004: Vajpayee blames Congress for stalling the Bill. Says BJP and its allies would pass the legislation after getting a decisive mandate in 2004 elections.

2004: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government includes it in the Common Minimum Programme, which says: "The UPA government will take the lead to introduce legislation for one-third reservations for women in Vidhan Sabhas and in the Lok Sabha."

2005: BJP announces complete support for the bill. Subsequently, BJP yields to the objections of Uma Bharati and several others within the party, who stress on quota within quota for women on caste basis.

2008: The government tables the bill in the Rajya Sabha so that the legislation does not lapse. Then SP leader Amar Singh reportedly says all Yadavs -- Lalu Yadav of the UPA, Mulayam Singh Yadav then in the UNPA and Sharad Yadav of the NDA -- are of the same view in regard to the women's bill which is against the Bill.

December 2009: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, and Personnel recommends passage of the Bill.

February 25, 2010: The Union Cabinet clears the Bill.

March 8, 2010: RJD, SP MPs disrupt tabling the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. But poor floor management of the Congress Party, its lack of communication with the Opposition parties and utter confusion led to a flock of Yadavs' men thumbing their nose at the Bill. A few MPs belonging to RJD and Samajwadi Party put the Parliament and democracy to shame when they tore the Bill and attacked Hamid Ansari, the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

March 9, 2010: The government tables the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha and it is put to vote by the chairman. Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned when the seven MPs who had been suspended earlier Tuesday for unruly behaviour continued to squat on the floor.