Historical Timeline of the Women's Reservation Bill

The Women's Reservation Bill is a proposed amendment to the Constitution of India that seeks to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. The bill has been pending in Parliament for over two decades, but it gained momentum in 2023 when the Modi government convened a special session of Parliament to pass it. On September 20, 2023, the Lok Sabha passed the Women's Reservation Bill with near unanimity, with only two members opposing it. The bill is now pending in the Rajya Sabha, where it is expected to be passed soon.

Historical Timeline of Women's Reservation Bill

• 1987: The Rajiv Gandhi government constituted a 14-member committee led by Union Minister Margaret Alva to give recommendations for improving the status of women.
• 1989: The Rajiv Gandhi government introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill to provide one-third reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies. The bill is passed in the Lok Sabha but fails to get passed in the Rajya Sabha.
• 1992: The P.V. Narasimha Rao government passes the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, which mandate 33.3 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• 1996: The H.D. Deve Gowda government introduced the Constitution (81st Amendment) Bill, 1996, in the 11th Lok Sabha to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. The bill is referred to the Joint Committee of the two Houses of Parliament, but it lapses with the dissolution of the 11th Lok Sabha.
• 1999: The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government introduces the Constitution (91st Amendment) Bill, 1999, in the 13th Lok Sabha to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. The bill is referred to the Joint Committee of the two Houses of Parliament, but it lapses with the dissolution of the 13th Lok Sabha.
• 2008: The Manmohan Singh government introduces the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008, in the 14th Lok Sabha to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 8, 2010, but it was not passed by the Rajya Sabha.
• 2023: The Narendra Modi government convenes a special session of Parliament to pass the Women's Reservation Bill. The Lok Sabha passed the bill on September 20, 2023, with near unanimity, with only two members opposing it. The bill is now pending in the Rajya Sabha, where it is expected to be passed soon.

Arguments for and against the Women's Reservation Bill

Arguments for:

• The Women's Reservation Bill is necessary to ensure that women are adequately represented in Parliament and state legislatures. Currently, women make up only 14.4% of the Lok Sabha and 13.7% of state legislative assemblies.
• The Women's Reservation Bill will help to break the glass ceiling that prevents women from reaching the highest levels of political leadership. Currently, there are only 11 women members in the Union Cabinet and only 12 women chief ministers of states.
• The Women's Reservation Bill will send a strong message about India's commitment to gender equality. It will show the world that India is serious about empowering women and giving them a greater role in public life.

Arguments against:

• The Women's Reservation Bill is discriminatory and violates the rights of men.
• The Women's Reservation Bill will create a separate electorate for women, which is not in the interests of national integration.
• The Women's Reservation Bill is not the best way to empower women. Instead, the government should focus on improving education and employment opportunities for women.

Conclusion

The Women's Reservation Bill is a complex issue, and there are strong arguments both for and against it. Ultimately, it is up to Parliament to decide whether or not to pass the bill. However, it is important to note that the Women's Reservation Bill has been pending in Parliament for over two decades, and it is time to take a decision on this issue.

Students who are preparing for various examinations should be familiar with the historical timeline of the Women's Reservation Bill as well as the arguments for and against it. This will help them to understand the issue in depth and to write convincingly about it in exams.