Twenty-seven years after the women’s reservation Bill was first introduced in Parliament, the Lok Sabha on September 20 passed a Bill with near unanimity to amend the Constitution and provide one-third reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.  

The Bill will now be taken by the Rajya Sabha for passage in the remaining two days of the Special Session of Parliament, and might require approval from half of the States. 

Highlights of the Bill

• The Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008 seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies.  The allocation of reserved seats shall be determined by such authority as prescribed by Parliament.
• One-third of the total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall be reserved for women of those groups in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies.
• Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.
• Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this Amendment Act.

Key Issues and Analysis

• There are divergent views on the reservation policy. Proponents stress the necessity of affirmative action to improve the condition of women. Some recent studies on panchayats have shown the positive effect of reservation on the empowerment of women and on the allocation of resources.
• Like the previous Bill, the new Bill proposes to introduce new articles – 330A and 332A – in the Constitution to introduce the changes for Lok Sabha and Assemblies respectively.
• Opponents argue that it would perpetuate the unequal status of women since they would not be perceived to be competing on merit. They also contend that this policy diverts attention from the larger issues of electoral reform such as the criminalisation of politics and inner-party democracy.
• The reservation of seats in Parliament restricts the choice of voters to women candidates. Therefore, some experts have suggested alternate methods such as reservation in political parties and dual-member constituencies.
• Rotation of reserved constituencies in every election may reduce the incentive for an MP to work for his constituency as he may be ineligible to seek re-election from that constituency.
• The report examining the 1996 Women’s Reservation Bill recommended that reservations be provided for women of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) once the Constitution was amended to allow for reservations for OBCs. It also recommended that reservation be extended to the Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Councils. Neither of these recommendations has been incorporated into the Bill.

What is Article 368 of the Indian Constitution?

Article 368 grants constituent power to make formal amendments and empowers Parliament to amend the Constitution by way of addition, variation or repeal of any provision, which is different from the procedure for ordinary legislation.

How can Women’s Representation in Politics be Improved in India

• Women’s representation in politics in India has been a topic of discussion for several years, and although progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. Here are some ways forward to improve women’s representation in politics in India:
  • Reservation of Seats: The reservation of seats for women in local bodies and legislative assemblies has been a successful way to increase women’s representation in politics. More such reservation policies could be implemented to provide women with more opportunities to participate in decision-making processes.
  • Increasing Awareness and Education: Creating awareness among women about their rights and the importance of their participation in politics is essential. Educational programs and awareness campaigns can help to increase women’s political participation.
  • Addressing Gender-based Violence and Harassment: Gender-based violence and harassment are major obstacles to women’s participation in politics. Addressing these issues through policy and legal measures can create a safer and more supportive environment for women in politics.
  • Reforms in the Electoral Process: Reforms such as introducing proportional representation and preferential voting systems can help to increase women’s representation in politics by ensuring that more women get elected.
• These are only a few approaches to increasing the number of women in Indian politics. To effect long-lasting change, a multifaceted strategy addressing multiple challenges is required.

History of Women’s Reservation of Bill:

1931
The issue of reservation for women in politics can be traced back to the Indian national movement.
In 1931, leaders Begum Shah Nawaz and Sarojini Naidu wrote a letter to the British PM regarding the status of women in the new Constitution.
According to them, seeking any form of preferential treatment would violate the integrity of the universal demand of Indian women for absolute equality of political status.
1947
The issue of women’s reservation was rejected as being unnecessary in the Constituent Assembly debates.
It was assumed that a democracy would accord representation to all groups.
In 1947, noted freedom fighter Renuka Ray said, “We always held that when the men who have fought and struggled for their country’s freedom came to power, the rights and liberties of women too would be guaranteed.”
1971
The Committee on the Status of Women in India (1971), commented on the declining political representation of women in India.
A majority within the Committee continued to be against reservation for women in legislative bodies but all of them supported reservation for women in local bodies.
Slowly, many State Governments began announcing reservations for women in local bodies.
1988
The National Perspective Plan for Women recommended in 1988 that reservation be provided to women’s rights from the level of the panchayat to that of Parliament.
1992 The enactment of the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian Constitution mandated:
 All State Governments to reserve one-third of the seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and
One-third of the offices of the chairperson at all levels of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, and in urban local bodies, respectively.
Of these seats, one-third are reserved for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe women.
Many States such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Kerala have made legal provisions to ensure 50% reservation for women in local bodies.
1996
The Women’s Reservation Bill proposes to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.
It was first introduced in the Lok Sabha as the 81st Amendment Bill in September 1996 by the then Government.
The Bill failed to get the approval of the House and was referred to a joint parliamentary committee which submitted its report to the Lok Sabha in December 1996.
But the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
1998
In 1998, the then Government reintroduced the Bill in the 12th Lok Sabha. The Bill failed to get support and lapsed again.
The Bill was reintroduced in 1999, 2002 and 2003. Even though there was support for it, the Bill failed to receive majority votes.
2008
In 2008, the then Government tabled the Bill in the Rajya Sabha and it was passed with 186-1 votes on March 9, 2010.
However, the Bill was never taken up for consideration in the Lok Sabha and lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha…. Read more at: https://www.studyiq.com/articles/womens-reservation-bill-in-india/