Empowering Women Through the Reservation Bill: A Necessity for Progress

Myself Mrs.Shanta Chhetri, a former Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, I have had the privilege of witnessing and participating in discussions on a wide range of crucial issues that shape our nation. One such issue that has garnered significant attention and debate over the years is the Women’s Reservation Bill. In this article, I will share my perspective on this important legislation and why I believe it is a vital step towards achieving gender equality and empowering women in India.

The Women’s Reservation Bill: A Brief Overview

The Women’s Reservation Bill, often referred to as the 108th Amendment to the Indian Constitution, was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 1996. The primary objective of this bill is to reserve 33% of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. This groundbreaking proposal aims to increase the participation of women in the decision-making process of our country, thereby addressing the gender disparity that exists in politics.

My Support for the Women’s Reservation Bill

I firmly believe that the Women’s Reservation Bill is an essential piece of legislation that can pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable India. Here are some key reasons why I support this bill:

• Gender Equality:

  The underrepresentation of women in politics is a stark reflection of the broader gender inequality that persists in our society. By reserving seats for women in legislative bodies, we send a powerful message that gender should not be a barrier to political participation. It is a crucial step towards achieving gender equality, which is not only a moral imperative but also essential for the overall development of our nation.

• Different Perspectives:
  Women bring unique perspectives, experiences, and priorities to the table. By increasing the number of women in decision-making roles, we can ensure that policies and legislation are inclusive and meet the needs of our segment of society. These diversifications can lead to comprehensive and balanced governance.

• Role models:

  When women are in key political positions, they are role models for young girls and women across the country. This could inspire more women to work in politics and other fields, breaking traditional stereotypes and challenging social norms that limit women’s aspirations.

• Social Development:

  Empowerment of women in politics has a significant impact on social development. Women’s participation in politics can lead to policy changes addressing issues such as gender-based violence, education for girls, health care, economic empowerment etc. This can be helpful for us the whole society has developed.

Challenges and concerns

While I wholeheartedly support the Women Reservation Bill, I recognize that there are challenges and concerns surrounding its implementation. Some critics argue that this can lead to tokenism, where women are seen as centerpieces rather than qualified leaders. Others worry about the potential abuse of seats reserved for male relatives of female politicians.

But these concerns should not deter us from following this important rule. The key is to establish robust mechanisms and safeguards to ensure that the benefits of reservation truly empower women and do not lead to token representation.

Conclusion:
Our hon’ble leader Mamata Banerjee like me being a part of Indian politics, We firmly believe that the Women Reservation Act is not just about political representation but an important step towards achieving gender equality and empowerment of women in our society. It is time we prioritize these laws and work together to create an inclusive and equitable politics for all By doing so, we can build a strong and prosperous India for future generations.

Note:

Shanta Chhetri speaks on the Women’s Reservation Bill
– Rajya Sabha, Parliament -2019

THE CONSTITUTION (ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTH AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023

A BILL

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-fourth Year of Republic of India as
follows:

1. Short Title and Commencement:

   1. This Act may be called the Constitution (Hundredth and twenty-eight
      Amendment) Act, 2023.
   2. It shall come into force on such date as the Central Govenunent may, by
      notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
       

2. Amendment of Article 239AA:

   In article 239AA of the Constitution, in clause (2). after sub-clause (h),
   the following clauses shall be inserted, namely:
   (ba) Seats shall be reserved for women in the Legislative Assembly of the
   National Capital Territory of Delhi.

   (bb) As nearly as may be, one-third of the seats reserved for the Scheduled
   Castes in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi
   shall be reserved for women.

   (bc) As nearlyy as may be. one-third of the total number of seats to be filled
   by direct election in the Iegislaiive Assembly of the National Capital Territory
   of Delhi (including the number o1 seals reserved for women belonging to the
   Scheduled Castes) shall be reserved for women in such manner as Parliament may
   by law determine.
    

3. Article 330A. Reservation Of Seat For Women In The House Of The People:

   After article 330 of the Constitution, the following article shall be
   inserted, namely: 330A.

   1. Seats shall be reserved for women in the House of the People.
   2. As nearly as may be, one-third of the total number of seats reserved
      under clause(2) of article 330 shall be reserved for women belonging to the
      Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes.
   3. As nearly as may be, one-third (including the number of seats reserved
      for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the
      total number of seats to be filled by direct election to the House of the
      People shall be reserved for women.
       

4. Insertion of New Article 332A. Reservation of Seats for Women in the legislative Assemblies of the States:

   After article 332 of the Constitution, the following article shall be inserted,
   namely:—

   332A.

   1. Seats shall be reserved for women in the Legislative Assembly of every
      State.
   2. As nearly as may be, one-third of the totnl number of seats reserved under
      clause
   3. of article 332 shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled
      Castes or the Scheduled Tribes.
   4. As nearly as may be, one-third (including the number of seats reserved
      for women belong to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the
      total number of seats to be filled by direct election in the Legislative
      Assembly of every state shall be reserved for women.
       

5. Insertion of new Article 334A. Reservation of Seats for Women take
   effect:

   After Article 334 nf the Constitution the following Article shall be inserted,
   namely:

   334A.

   1. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provision of this Part or Part VIIl, 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 commencement
      of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Amendment) Act, 2023 have
      been published and shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of
      fifteen years from such commencement.
       
   2. Subject to the provisions of articles 239AA, 330A and 332A, seats
      reserved for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Asserribly of a State and
      the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Ten’itory of Delhi shall
      continue till such date as the Parliament may by law determine.
       
   3. Rotation of seats reserved 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 take effect after each subsequent exercise
      of delimitation as the Parliament may by law determine.
       
   4. Nothing in this article shall affect any representation in the House of
      the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative Assembly
      of the National Capital Territory of Delhi until the dissolution of the then
      existing House of the People, Legislative Assembly of a State or the
      Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
       

6. Amendment not to affect reservation in the house of the People, the
   legislative Assembly of a state or the Legislative Assembly of the National
   Capital Territory of Delhi:

   The Amendments made to the Constitution by the Constitution (One Hundred and
   Twenty-eighth Amendment) Act, 2023 shall not affect any representation in
   the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State or the
   Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Tenitory of Delhi until the dissolution of the
   House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative
   Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, as the case may be. in
   existence at the commencement of the said Act.
    

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS:

1. After completing 75 years of Independence, the nation has begun its journey into
   Amritkal with a goal of becoming Vikasit Bharat’ by 2047. Realisation of this
   goal will require contribution of all sections of society in the spirit of Sabka
   Saatli, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas. Sabka Prayas’. The role of women.
   constituting a half of the population, is extremely important in realization of
   this goal.
    
2. Government has taken a number of steps to bring ‘Nari Shakti’ to the
   forefront through women’s empowerment and women led development resulting in
   substantial improvement in financial independence of women and availability of
   equal access to education and health. Government has also emphasized Ease of
   Living, especially of women, through various initiatives including Ujjawala
   Yojana, access to toilets under Swacch Bharat Mission, financial inclusion
   through the Mudra Yojna, etc. However, true empowerment of women will require
   greater participation of women in the decision making process as they bring
   different perspectives and enrich the quality of legislative debates and
   decision-making.
    
3. While women participate substantively in the Panchayat Raj institutions and
   municipal bodies, their representation in the State Legislatures as well as in
   Parliament is still limited. Providing for higher representation of women at
   State and national level has also been a long pending demand. There have been
   several efforts to introduce women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and State
   Legislative Assemblies. The last such atteiiipt was made in 2010, when the Rajya
   Sabha had passed a Bill for women’s reservation bill the same could not be
   passed in the Lok Sabha.
    
4. In order to enable greater participation of women as public
   representative in policy making at State and national level. It is decided
   to introduce a fresh legislation for Constitutional Amendment to provide
   for, as nearly as may be, one-third of total seats in the House of the
   People, the legislative assembly of every State and the Legislative Assembly
   of the National Capital Territory of Delhi to be reserved for women.
    
5. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.

FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM
The Bill, if enacted, is not likely to involve any expenditure, either recurring
or non- recurring from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India.