The issue of women's reservation in Indian politics has been under discussion for a long time. Its clear objective is to increase the participation of women in politics. Although women constitute half of the country's population, their number in Parliament and State Assemblies is relatively very low or almost negligible. To address this gap, discussions and several attempts were made regarding the Women's Reservation Bill, but it could never be fully passed. Now, with the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, hopes for increased representation of women have been ignited. It remains to be seen what its final form will be, but it's essential to understand the differences between the previous attempts and the current bill, and how the landscape will change once implemented.
The 30-Year Journey of the Women's Reservation Bill
The Women's Reservation Bill was first introduced in 1996 as the 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill. It proposed reserving 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. At that time, the United Front government was in power, while subsequently, it was reintroduced several times but failed to reach its destination. In 2010, the bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha but couldn't be passed in the Lok Sabha, leading to another stalemate. There were several disagreements regarding the old bill. Some parties argued that it lacked a separate reservation for women from backward classes, fearing the benefits would be limited to certain sections, while some leaders suggested that political parties should voluntarily give tickets to women instead of making a law. There was also opposition to the rotation of seats, as changing seats in every election could reduce a leader's connection with their constituency.
Key Provisions of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
In 2023, the Central Government introduced a new bill on women's reservation named the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam during a special session of Parliament. This bill has been passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. It received broad political support, with many parties welcoming it. Recently, former President Pratibha Devi Patil and BSP chief Mayawati also supported the latest bill.
Differences Between Old and New Bills and the Rotation Issue
The biggest difference between the old and new bills lies in the implementation process, while the new bill won't be implemented immediately. First, a nationwide Census will be conducted, followed by Delimitation, while delimitation means the fresh determination of constituencies, which will increase the existing number of seats in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies. The reservation will only be implemented after these two processes, which might take some time. This aspect has also been a point of criticism. Plus, the new bill includes a provision for the rotation of seats, meaning reserved seats will change in every election. While this provides opportunities to women from different regions, experts believe it could affect continuity and long-term development plans, as leaders might focus more on political adjustments than work due to frequent changes in constituencies.
Local Governance Experience and Global Context
Women's reservation is already in place at the Panchayat and Urban Local Body levels in India. Under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, one-third of seats were reserved for women, and many states have increased this to 50 percent. This has had a positive impact, bringing millions of women into local politics who have worked on issues like education, sanitation, and health, while globally, Rwanda has more than 60 percent women's representation in its parliament. Countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan also have reserved seats for women. The shift from the era of coalition governments in the 1990s to a strong majority government today, along with increased social awareness, has made passing this bill easier. However, challenges remain, such as the lack of clarity on the timing of the Census and Delimitation, and the ongoing demand for a separate quota for women from backward classes.