The Women's Reservation Bill, first introduced in Parliament in 1996, was a major step towards women's empowerment in India. The aim was to give women a decisive role in the governance of the country. The core of the bill is the constitutional amendment to reserve 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures for women.
Despite valiantly preaching about women's empowerment, the patriarchal Indian political-administrative system is not ready to fully accept the bill. That is why the bill introduced in Parliament a quarter of a century ago is still in the dust. Political parties are not ready to give women adequate representation in elections even when they are coming forward in all spheres. Election promises to implement women's reservation are often in vain.
Several parties, including the BJP, the Congress and the CPM, have announced their support for the bill from time to time. But when it comes down to it, they come up with lame excuses. RJD and the Samajwadi Party opposed the bill. In 2018, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to Prime Minister Modi, assured the support of Congress for the bill and demanded that it be passed. But the BJP's response was that the Congress had double standards and whether the bill would win the support of its allies, including the RJD.
Started in 1993
In 1993, Parliament passed a constitutional amendment bill to give one-third reservation to women in local bodies in the country. That was the beginning of the idea of greater governance participation for women. The aim was to implement this reservation in Parliament and the Legislature. (50% reservation for women in local body elections in Kerala)
September 12, 1996 - HD Deve Gowda's United Front government introduced the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament for the first time. The bill could not be passed.
Vajpayee's second BJP government introduced the bill in 1998 but failed to pass it.
The bill was introduced in 1999 and 2003
In May 2008, the first UPA government led by Congress re-introduced the bill.
The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010.
No vote on the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
In 2014, when the Fifteenth Lok Sabha came to an end, the bill was cancelled.
In the Lok Sabha, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD and Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party opposed the bill. There was a demand for a special quota for women from backward communities.
The Central Government may introduce the Bill in the Lok Sabha at any time. BJP, the ruling party with a majority can pass the bill easily. Prime Minister Modi has not open up about this.
Features of the Bill
One-third of seats in Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly reserved for women through constitutional amendment
One third of these seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women
Constituencies should be reserved on rotation basis.
Reserved constituencies should be drawn.
Reserved constituencies should be changed every three consecutive elections.
15 years reservation for women in a constituency
The strength of the Lok Sabha is 543 (excluding two nominated members)
180 (33%) women if the bill is implemented
78 (14%) women in the current Lok Sabha