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The quest for women’s reservation in Indian politics has been marked by complex, multiple interwoven societal challenges, legislative reforms, and persistent advocacy for inclusive rights.
Illustration by The Geostrata
In this context, the discourse on women’s political representation thus becomes a pivotal aspect for democratic evolution in India.
A STEP TOWARDS INCLUSION
In India, women's political representation can be traced back to that of the pre-independence era, where prominent leaders like Sarojini Naidu and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur advocated for women’s rights in governance.
Moreover, the post-independence period saw the first structured approach to women’s political inclusion. In this context, India’s tryst with women's political reservation began at the grassroots level.
Significantly, in 1992, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments mandated a 33.3% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institution, which marked a significant stride toward gender inclusivity in governance at the local level.
This initiative empowered women at the village level and set the stage for broader discussions on women’s representation in higher legislative bodies. Thus, these changes proved to be a stepping stone for the future legislative changes and opened up several pathways for females in Indian politics.
LEGISLATIVE MILESTONE
Moving ahead, the aspirations to extend reservations to the national and state legislature culminated in the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill. First presented in 1996, the bill sought to reserve one-third of all seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women.
Despite multiple introductions and extensive debates, the bill faced hurdles and lapsed several times. This was mainly due to a lack of consensus among political parties or a lack of political will to bring requisite changes in the existing political landscape.
However, a landmark moment arrived in 2023 with the passage of the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act.
This act reserves 33.3% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative assemblies, reflecting a significant commitment to enhance women’s representation in higher legislative bodies.
Even after such a remarkable milestone, the concern lingers on as the implementation of the reservation is linked to delimitation, which means the amendment will come into effect only after the next census and boundary redrawing post-2026. This delay raises questions about the political will to ensure timely execution of such important policy decisions.
The reservation for women serves both as a victory and as a complex challenge. While it ensures increased numerical representation, it doesn’t address deeper social and structural issues; therefore, mere reservation may not lead to substantial empowerment, which the common narrative seems to be, rather concerns regarding potential tokenism, the influence of male relatives in women’s political roles, and reflects the need for capacity-building among women’s representatives.
More importantly, the need for such legislative measures arises from the concerning figures, such as the fact that despite constituting nearly 50% of India’s population, women remain severely under-represented in governance.
As of 2025, women hold only 15% of Lok Sabha seats and 10% of Rajya Sabha seats; figures like these reflect systemic exclusion rather than merit-based competition. Additionally, political reservation for women serves as a structural correction to historical marginalisation, where females have had a history of subjugation and deprivation of equal rights, which raises the very necessity to undo the injustice done.
In this regard, these steps towards providing reservation for representation of females in the decision-making process should in no way be seen as a privilege conferred; rather, these are the rights enshrined under the principle of promotive justice, as one of the many principles in the Indian Constitution.
PROGRESS THROUGH CHALLENGES
As remarked by President Droupadi Murmu, “For a democracy to be truly representative, every voice must be heard and counted.” Presently, the reservation of women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is underway, followed by the delimitation exercise post-2026.
Image Credits: Rightful Owner
This move is expected to increase women's representation, which has historically been low.
The reservation for women in politics is not just about numbers, it is about fostering a more inclusive and representative democracy.
While legislative reforms have passed the way, true empowerment will depend on timely implementation, societal mind shifts, and sustained political will.
As India moves towards a more gender-balanced political landscape, the journey ahead will require continued vigilance, advocacy, and policy interventions. The Women’s Reservation Bill is not the destination but a stepping stone towards a future where women’s leadership is not an exception but a norm.
BY TANU NAGAR
TEAM GEOSTRATA
Illustration so beautiful ❤️
Beautifully written
Insightful
Timely implementation is the way forward.
"a future where women's leadership is not an exception but a norm." INDEED!