Source: Times of India

Why in News?

The Union Government has introduced a Bill in the Parliament of India’s Lower House i.e., the Lok Sabha, marking a historic step towards providing one-third reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Background

• The discussion upon the reservation of women reservation bill is prevalent since the tenure of Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1996.
• As the then Government lacked a majority, the Bill could not have been approved.
• Earlier Attempts at Reserving Seats for Women:
  • 1996: First Women Reservation Bill was introduced in the Parliament.
  • 1998 – 2003: NDA Government tabled the Bill on 4 occasions but failed.
  • 2009: UPA Government tables the bill amid protests.
  • 2010: The Union Cabinet passes the Bill and Rajya Sabha passed it.
  • 2014: The Bill was expected to be tabled in Lok Sabha.
• Earlier, the 72^nd and 73^rd Constitutional Amendments of years 1992, 1993 respectively reserved one-third of all seats and chairperson posts for women in rural and urban local governments.

Key Features of the Bill

• The Bill presented by the Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal aims to provide 33% reservation to women in Parliament and Assemblies to be filled by direct election.
• The reservation can only come into effect after the delimitation exercise is undertaken in India i.e., it cannot be made effective before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
  • Delimitation plainly means a dividing line or boundary.
  • The Delimitation Commission of India is a commission established by the Government of India under the provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act, 1962.
  • Usually retired Supreme Court Judge heads the commission whereas Chief Election Commissioner and respective state election commissioner as ex officio commissioner.
  • The task of the commission is to redraw the boundaries of the various assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies based on a recent census.
  • The present delimitation of constituencies has been done on the basis of 2001 and the next delimitation will take place in the year 2026.
• The women's quota bill will remain effective for a period of 15 years following its enactment as an Act, with the possibility of extending its duration if deemed necessary.
• The quota will not be applicable to Rajya Sabha or State Legislative Councils.
• The present bill is similar to the Women’s Reservation Bill drafted in 2010.

Women Representation in Parliament: India and the world

• There are 82 women MPs In Lok Sabha (15.2%) and 31 women in Rajya Sabha (13%).
• While the number has increased significantly since the 1^st LS (5%) but is still far lower than in many countries.
• According to data, Rwanda (61%), Cuba (53%), Nicaragua (52%) are the top three countries in women representation. Bangladesh (21%) and Pakistan (20%) as well are ahead of India in case of female representation.