Envision a nation renowned for its diverse culture and thriving democracy that has withstood the test of time for over seventy years. India, a nation known for its diversity, has long prided itself on being a democratic powerhouse. Yet, amidst this vibrant political landscape, a glaring gap has persisted, the underrepresentation of women in politics. The Women Reservation Bill, also referred to as the “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam”, seeks to address this disparity and usher in a new era in Indian politics.

Understanding the Women Reservation Bill

1. The Women’s Reservation Bill, is a legislative proposal in India with a fundamental aim of augmenting the representation of women in the country’s highest legislative bodies, such as the Lok Sabha (the lower house of India’s Parliament) and state legislative assemblies. This bill seeks to reserve one-third of the total seats in these legislative bodies for women.
2. The primary objective of the bill is to address the stark gender disparity that has long persisted in Indian politics. It aspires to offer women enhanced opportunities to engage in the highest echelons of decision-making in the country. By reserving one-third of the seats, the bill aims to rectify the existing gender imbalance and foster equal representation in politics.
3. The bill outlines a mechanism by which one-third of the seats will be reserved for women. This reservation would operate through a rotational system, ensuring that every third seat in rotation in each constituency is allocated to a woman candidate. For example, in a constituency with three seats, one seat would be reserved for a woman in one election, followed by another in the subsequent election, and so forth. This approach guarantees that women consistently hold seats in legislative bodies.
4. It’s important to recognize that there are existing provisions for women’s reservation at the grassroots level in India. The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution mandate that one-third of the seats in Panchayats (rural local bodies) and urban local bodies are reserved for women. This has already contributed to increased women’s participation in local governance.
5. The Women’s Reservation Bill is considered a critical step toward achieving gender equality in Indian politics. It is designed to empower women and ensure their active participation in the decision-making process. By having women’s voices represented, the bill seeks to shape more inclusive and equitable policies and laws.

Despite its admirable goals, the bill has faced opposition and roadblocks, and its enactment into law has remained a complex endeavor. Nevertheless, it continues to be a prominent topic of discussion and debate in the Indian political landscape, holding the potential to one day become a reality and elevate women’s involvement in politics to new heights.

Historical Evolution of Women Reservation Bill

India’s post-independence journey has been marked by notable gender disparities, the corridors of power in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies have remained decidedly male-dominated.

1. In 1996, the Women’s Reservation Bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha as the 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill during H. D. Deve Gowda’s United Front government’s tenure, aiming to allocate one-third of parliamentary and state assembly seats for women.
2. Over 1996 and 1997, the bill encountered substantial opposition and was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee led by Geeta Mukherjee for further review.
3. In 1997, the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s findings were presented to the Lok Sabha in December 1996, but the bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
4. By 1998, the bill was re-presented in the 12th Lok Sabha, but it failed to gain adequate support and subsequently lapsed.
5. In 1999, 2002, and 2003, the Women’s Reservation Bill was re-introduced, but despite receiving support from major political parties, it did not secure the majority of votes.
6. The year 2010 marked a notable moment when the bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha and was successfully passed in this house. However, it didn’t progress to discussion in the Lok Sabha and became inactive after the 15th Lok Sabha dissolved.
7. Fast forward to 2023, the Women’s Reservation Bill re-emerged as the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023. It passed the Lok Sabha with a majority vote of 454-2, signifying a significant milestone in its legislative journey.

The Women’s Reservation Bill has faced a complex path, characterized by challenges and political intricacies, and its reintroduction in 2023 has rekindled the discourse on gender-based reservations in Indian politics.

Challenges and Issues of the Women Reservation Bill

One of the primary challenges is the dependency on the census data for delimitation. As per the bill’s provisions, the reservation of seats for women is contingent upon the delimitation exercise. This, in turn, hinges on the availability of updated census data, delays in conducting census, such as the postponement of the 2021 census due to the COVID-19 pandemic, can impede the timely implementation of the bill. Until the census is carried out, delimitation cannot proceed.

Delimitation exercises require meticulous planning and execution to prevent errors and disputes, the logistics involved in gathering data, coordinating with various authorities, and ensuring accurate boundary demarcation, can pose significant administrative challenges.

The bill also mandates that within the 33% quota for women, there should be sub-reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and the Anglo-Indian communities. Ensuring that these sub-reservations are adequately addressed during delimitation adds another layer of complexity.

The Women Reservation Bill anticipates that the delimitation exercise may lead to an increase in the number of seats in the Lok Sabha, potentially up to 888 seats. This expansion, while important for women’s representation, must be executed efficiently and in a timely manner to ensure that the bill’s provisions can be put into practice.

Some fear that this reservation might limit voter choice, and the rotation of reserved constituencies could decrease an elected representative’s motivation to work for their constituents.

Legal Framework

The Women Reservation Bill, or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, introduces several key constitutional amendments that are integral to reshaping India’s political landscape. These amendments aim to facilitate the reservation of one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women, a crucial step toward achieving gender equity in the country’s governance. This section delves into the intricacies of these constitutional amendments.

1.  Article 81 – Allocation of Seats in the Lok Sabha : Article 81 of the Indian Constitution addresses the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. The Women Reservation Bill necessitates amendments to this article to implement the reservation of one-third of seats for women.[i]
2. Article 170 – Composition of State Legislative Assemblies : Similar to the amendments required in Article 81, Article 170 is vital in the context of state legislative assemblies. It specifies the composition of these assemblies, which play a crucial role in state-level governance. The Women Reservation Bill mandates amendments to Article 170 to reserve a substantial portion of seats for women in state legislative assemblies, mirroring the changes proposed for the Lok Sabha.[ii]
3. Article 330A – Reservation of Seats in the Lok Sabha : The Women Reservation Bill introduces Article 330A, which deals with the reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha. In this one-third of Lok Sabha seats will be allocated to women. It sets a legal framework to ensure that women gain equitable representation at the national level.[iii]
4. Article 332A – Reservation of Seats in State Legislative Assemblies : In parallel to Article 330A, the bill introduces Article 332A. This article is dedicated to the reservation of seats for women in state legislative assemblies. It details how the one-third reservation for women in state legislative assemblies will be realized. The bill paves the way for greater gender diversity and representation at the state level.[iv]
5. Article 334A – The Sunset Provision : Article 334A is a unique addition in the Women Reservation Bill. This article includes a sunset provision, which is critical in the context of affirmative action policies. The sunset provision entails that the one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies will gradually phase out after 15 years. While the bill is a crucial step toward gender equity, the sunset provision acknowledges that affirmative action may not be a permanent solution and allows for a reevaluation of the policy’s effectiveness after a specified period.[v]

Women Representation in India and its Neighbors

1. India: India, the world’s largest democracy, has a multi-party parliamentary system. Women in India’s Lok Sabha (House of the People) occupy about 11.5% of the seats, while the data provided suggests that women in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) hold about 15.0% of the seats.
2. Pakistan: In Pakistan, women hold approximately 20.2% of the seats in the lower house, the National Assembly. While Pakistan has been making efforts, the representation of women in the National Assembly is relatively lower.
3. Bangladesh: Bangladesh has made significant progress in promoting women’s participation in politics. In its Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament), women occupy around 20.7% of the seats. The country has implemented reserved seats for women in both the national and local government bodies.
4. Nepal: Nepal has made substantial strides in enhancing women’s representation in politics. In its Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives), women hold approximately 33.6% of the seats. The country has implemented a reservation system to ensure a minimum number of women in the legislature.
5. Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s representation of women in politics is relatively lower compared to some of its South Asian neighbors. In its Parliament, women occupy approximately 5.3% of the seats in the lower house and 5.6% of the seats in the upper house.
6. Bhutan: Bhutan’s political system is relatively new, and the representation of women in its National Assembly is about 14.9%.
7. Maldives: In the Maldives, women hold approximately 4.7% of the seats in its Majlis (Parliament). The Maldives has been working on improving women’s representation in politics but currently lags behind India in this aspect.
8. China: In the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body, women hold about 24.9% of the seats. China has made progress in promoting women’s rights and gender equality.
9. Myanmar: In Myanmar’s Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives), women hold approximately 11.3% of the seats, which is below the global average for women’s political representation.[vi]

Women Representation across different geographies

1. Africa has made notable strides in improving gender representation in politics. Rwanda stands out with an impressive 61.3% women in its lower house, largely due to government policies and quotas aimed at achieving gender parity. Namibia also demonstrates a relatively high level of representation, with 46.2% women in its lower house.
2. Cuba, although not often considered part of North America due to its location in the Caribbean, is worth mentioning for its 53.2% female representation in the lower house.
3. South America presents a mixed picture of gender representation. Bolivia has made significant progress with 53.1% women in its lower house. However, there is variation across the continent, with some countries still striving to reach gender parity.
4. Europe is home to countries with varying levels of gender representation. Sweden and Iceland, for instance, lead the way with 47.3% and 38.1% women in their lower houses, respectively. Belgium and Spain show gender representation at 38.0% and 41.1%, respectively, indicating significant progress. France, while relatively diverse with 39.7% women in the lower house. Norway has 40.8% women in its lower house, while Finland stands at 41.5%. Spain, with 41.1% women in its lower hous. Russia, in Eastern Europe, has 15.8% women in its lower house.
5. Costa Rica, in Central America, has 45.6% women in its lower house, demonstrating a positive step towards gender parity. Similarly, Nicaragua’s lower house has 44.6% women, indicating a commitment to gender representation in politics.[vii]

Gender representation in legislative bodies varies significantly across continents. While some countries have made substantial progress in achieving gender parity, others face ongoing challenges. It is clear that efforts to improve gender representation in politics are ongoing worldwide, with varying levels of success.

Closing Remarks

The Women Reservation Bill, or the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, holds the promise of transforming Indian politics by ensuring greater gender equity. It is not merely a legal amendment but a pivotal step towards a more inclusive and representative democracy. This bill showcases India’s commitment to upholding the principles of equality and justice enshrined in the Constitution. Women Reservation Bill stands as a beacon for a more inclusive democracy, inspiring women from all walks of life to engage in politics and contribute to the nation’s progress. It symbolizes progress, diversity, and gender equity in the evolving landscape of Indian politics and society.

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[i] INDIA CONST Art. 81.

[ii] INDIA CONST Art. 170.

[iii] INDIA CONST Art. 330A.

[iv] INDIA CONST Art. 332A.

[v] INDIA CONST Art. 334A.

[vi] Inter-Parliamentary Union,  http://archive.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm (last visited October 25, 2023).

[vii] Inter-Parliamentary Union,  http://archive.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm (last visited October 25, 2023).

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Author: Harsh Singla

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