Article on Women Reservation in Parliament

India entered in the new age of democracy by taking the most  important initiative to pass the `Women’s Reservation Bill’ in the Rajya Sabha on 9th March 2010. Before India many countries of this world have already taken necessary steps for fixing a quota of seats for the women candidates in their legislature. On 9 March 2010 the Central Government has brought a Bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Constitution to reserve 1/3rd of seats in Parliament and State Legislatures for women.

Though the bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on 2010, the Lok Sabha has not yet voted for the bill.

Through the bill was passed at the Upper House of the Parliament by 191 votes for the Bill and 1 vote against the Bill, there were many controversies arose as regards the Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The process of passing the Bill itself started on a stormy way.

Rajya Sabha suspended MPs for their unconstitutional behaviour in the House on March 8, 2010. Not only that, both Houses witnessed repeated adjournments on March 9, 2010 as members opposed to the Women’s Reservation Bill Continued to disturb proceedings.

The question here may arise that what is the requirement of the Women’s Reservation Bill? And then the answer is the women want reservation in legislative bodies not because they are weak and tend to lose elections, but they can win if only given a chance. Women can outperform men on the electoral battle field.

Though generally it seems that the Women’s Reservation Bill is a concession to women, in reality men will have it better. That is why women elected under quota will have to move constantly whereas men can have two continuous terms. To be sure, a woman elected by reservation in the first election can regain the seat in the next election through the general category. Women choosing to contest from the general category can have two terms many live male candidates.

But it is undoubted that history has made on 9th March 2010 with the passage of Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The basic character of our politics and by expanding the way in which our public domain is ordered will never be the same. With the Upper House adopting a legislation making space for a minimum of 33% women representatives which is a milestone that has been elected in the realm of women’s empowerment in Independent India.

The cause of Women’s Reservation Bill is nothing but empowerment hinges on political representation and economic development. The great experience of reserving seats for women in panchayats over the last 15 years illustrates the importance of having more women in governing positions. The Women Reservation Bill is intended to enhances the status of women, and therefore of society as a whole.