• President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the women’s reservation Bill, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

• Now, it will be officially known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act.

• Last week, the Parliament passed the women’s reservation Bill which was referred to as the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’.

• The law will take some time before being implemented as the next Census and the subsequent delimitation exercise — redrawing of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies — will ascertain the particular seats being earmarked for women.

• The 33 per cent reservation for women will not apply to the Upper House of Parliament and state Legislative Councils.

• The quota for women in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies will continue for 15 years and Parliament can later extend the benefit period.

• While there is quota within quota for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) women, the opposition had demanded that the benefit be extended to Other Backward Classes.

Will this be a game-changer?

• Gender equality and women’s empowerment are fundamental principles of a just and progressive society. The women’s reservation Bill, amid all concerns and criticism, represents a crucial step towards achieving gender equality in politics. 

• While it has faced its fair share of challenges and criticisms, its potential benefits are undeniable. Empowering women in politics is not just a matter of justice and equity. It is essential for the overall progress and development of the nation. It is a product of a long-drawn struggle. 

• The women-centric reforms in Panchayati Raj Institutions increased the participation of women in local politics and enhanced their decision-making and leadership qualities despite persisting shortcomings. 

• The 33 per cent quota for women in state Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha is bound to bring more women into the political field and increase their participation and mobilisation, which in turn will lead to the development of more women-centric policies at both national and state levels. 

• The 33 per cent reservation for women has positioned India as a global leader in gender parity by setting an example for the world to move closer to the vision of a more inclusive and equitable society.

What do the critics say about this reservation?

• Though every political party has supported the idea of the women’s reservation Bill, there have been criticisms to the entire idea of reservation from other quarters.

• Critics have argued that reserving seats for women in Assemblies and Lok Sabha might lead to the stereotyping of women as ‘proxy candidates’ controlled by male family members, undermining their autonomy and credibility. This concern emanates from the experiences of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

• Another criticism is that a fixed reservation may not accurately reflect the diversity of women’s experiences and may inadvertently favour women from privileged backgrounds.

• They also say that reserving seats for women will limit the options of voters. Critics argue that instead of reservation, the government should focus more on electoral reforms, decriminalisation of politics and inner-party democracy.

• Critics have also pointed out that the rotation policy may reduce the incentive for an MLA/MP to work for their constituency as she may be ineligible to seek re-election from that constituency.

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