Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill (Women's Reservation Bill) 2023

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill ( Women's Reservation Bill ) 2023 Recently Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha both passed Nar...

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill (Women's Reservation Bill) 2023

Recently Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha both passed Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Bill. It reserves 1/3rd of the seats in Lok Sabha,State Legislative Assembly and Delhi Assembly.This will also apply to the seats reserved for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and State Legislature.

The proposed legislation aims to augment the representation of female MP's to a total of 181 ,beyond the existing count of 82.Additionally it intends to elevate the number of female MLA's to over 2000 ,exceeding current figure of 740.

The discussion upon reservation of Women is prevalent since the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari in 1996. As then due to lack of majority the Bill could not have been approved. Then the bill was introduced in the years 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2008 but was not be able to get through the process. 

The bill provide for inserting Article 330A to the constitution and that reserved seats for women may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies. The bill introduces Article 332A for State Legislature Assemblies. It will be provided for 15 years. The reservation will be effective after the census will be undertaken to reserve seats for women. 

Based on the data provided by the Inter Parliamentary Union, India's ranking in women's representation stands at 148 out of 193. The progress of women representation in Lok Sabha since Independence has been exceedingly slow. Many state assemblies have less than 10% women as members. 

The bill's empowerment of women will contribute to the nation's over all development especially for women and will help to address the interwind socio economic and political inquality. It is being shown in the Women's Reservation in panchayats (Article 243 D) where one third of the seats are reserved for women.

Although the reservation alone cannot completely eradicate India's deeply ingrained gender bias, it is a vital measure to instigate change and show equality. 

[ Abhishek Sharma - The Author has been researching and advocating women's rights for a long time. He is also a government Teacher under Delhi Government ]