India marked a historic milestone as President Droupadi Murmu granted her assent to the Women’s Reservation Bill, officially known as the “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.” This significant legislation has now become law, setting the stage for a transformative shift in India’s political landscape.
The Women’s Reservation Bill, passed during a special session of Parliament this month, garnered support from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The law mandates that 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be reserved for women, aiming to empower and elevate the representation of women in Indian politics.
However, the implementation of this landmark legislation comes with a caveat. The reservation will be put into practice only after the completion of the new census and the process of delimitation. This decision has sparked discussions about the timeline and inclusivity of the legislation, as well as concerns about its potential to uplift all sections of society.
Notably, the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill aligns with India’s recent shift to its new Parliament building on September 19, symbolizing progress and modernization in the country’s legislative process.
While the bill received widespread support, it was not without its critics. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) was among the dissenting voices, arguing that the legislation primarily benefits Savarna women and lacks representation for Muslim women. Additionally, the Congress party called for reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and questioned the time it would take for the legislation to be effectively implemented.
The bill itself outlines the timeline for its enactment, stating, “…the provisions of the Constitution relating to the reservation of seats for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a state, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first census taken after the commencement of the Constitution Act, 2023, have been published and shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of fifteen years from such commencement.”
As India celebrates this significant step towards gender equality in politics, discussions continue about the legislation’s impact and the challenges and opportunities it presents for the nation’s diverse population.
Sources By Agencies
