Reservation of seats for women in legislative bodies is a necessary step towards ensuring equal political participation. In this context, examine the significance of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 and the challenges in its implementation.

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Introduction

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 (106th Constitutional Amendment) mandates one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
It reflects the constitutional commitment to substantive equality and inclusive democracy.

Significance of the Act

Enhancing Political Representation: Addresses chronic underrepresentation of women (~14% in Lok Sabha), promoting gender-balanced legislatures.
Deepening Democracy: Broadens participation, making governance more representative and legitimate.
Policy Impact: Evidence shows higher focus on health, education, and welfare issues with greater women’s representation.
Social Empowerment: Acts as a catalyst for breaking patriarchal norms and encouraging women’s leadership.
Continuity with Local Governance Success: Builds on the success of 73rd and 74th Amendments in Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Challenges in Implementation

Delayed Operationalisation: Linked to Census and delimitation, creating uncertainty and postponement.
Rotation of Constituencies: May discourage long-term constituency development and weaken accountability.
Elite Capture: Risk of proxy representation or dominance by politically connected women.
Lack of Sub-Quota: Absence of reservation for OBC women raises concerns of equitable representation.
Structural Barriers: Patriarchal attitudes, lack of financial resources, and party support limit effective participation.
Party-Level Resistance: Political parties may hesitate to cede winnable seats.

Way Forward

Time-bound Implementation: Decouple from delays in Census/delimitation where possible.
Capacity Building: Training and financial support for women candidates.
Inner-Party Democracy: Mandate quotas within parties to ensure genuine representation.
Address Intersectionality: Consider sub-quotas for marginalized women.

Conclusion

While transformative in intent, the Act’s success depends on timely implementation and supportive institutional reforms to achieve genuine gender equality in political participation.

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