How Can Women’s Reservation Bill Empower Women in India

The Republic of India has approved the women’s reservation bill, paving the way for women empowerment in India. The Indian government aims to increase political participation of women in India. Women’s equal participation and leadership in political and public life are important for the Indian government.

How can the women’s reservation bill empower women in India? How are women represented in the Indian parliament? What is a women’s reservation bill? What can Indian women expect from the women’s reservation bill?

Women’s Reservation Bill

On Monday, the Union Cabinet approved a women’s reservation bill, also known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008. 

On the first day of the Parliament Special Session, the political leaders discussed the bill and the political participation of women in India. 

All you need to know about the women’s reservation bill

• Under the women’s reservation bill, the Indian government will reserve a 33 per cent quota exclusively for women in Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s bicameral Parliament, and state assemblies. 
• One third of the total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) will be reserved for women of these two groups in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies. These seats will be provided in rotation to different constituencies in the state. 
• The reservation of seats to women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of the amendment act.

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Facts about the women’s reservation bill

The women’s reservation bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India, in 2010. Despite being a crucial step towards women’s rights, the bill was not tabled in the Lower House of Parliament until September 2023. 

Ahead of the Parliament special session, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was asked to bring women constituents to Parliament in the coming days.

How can women’s reservation bill empower women in India

This bill is a crucial step towards women empowerment in India. The bill guarantees a 33 per cent quota to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. In this way, women participation in politics will increase in India.

In Lok Sabha, 78 women are elected, which is less than 15 per cent of the total strength of 543. Many Indian state assemblies have less than 10 per cent women representation. This bill will help to boost this number. 

If women actively participate in politics, they can solve various issues related to women. Rural areas in India need active participation of women leaders in order to solve various problems of women.