India's Reservation Bill for Women: All You Need to Know | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Summary

The video script discusses a pivotal day in India's democracy, as lawmakers convened in the new Parliament building for the first time. Amidst speculation about the session's purpose, the Prime Minister revealed the government's plan to introduce the Women's Reservation Bill. This bill aims to reserve one-third of electoral seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and union territories, empowering female representation in Indian politics. The script delves into the historical background of this proposal, tracing its roots back to the 1970s and various attempts by previous governments. With the BJP's brute majority in Parliament, the bill now has a high chance of becoming a reality, potentially ushering in a new era of gender equality in Indian democracy.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Indian Parliament met for the first time in a new building, inaugurated in May 2023.
• 🇮🇳 This unexpected special parliamentary session revealed the government's plan to introduce the Women's Reservation Bill.
• 👩‍💼 The bill aims to reserve one-third of all electoral seats in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and union territories for women.
• 📈 This reservation will extend to seats reserved for backward communities like Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC).
• 🌍 The bill is necessary to address the gender imbalance in Indian politics, with women making up only 15% of Lok Sabha seats.
• 🚀 India already has a similar reservation for local elections, which has empowered women at the grassroots level.
• ⏳ The implementation of the quota will follow a three-step process: census, delimitation, and then the actual reservation.
• 📆 The timeline for implementation is unclear, with estimates ranging from 2026 to 2029, due to potential delays.
• 🌳 The roots of the proposal date back to the 1970s, when a UN report prompted India to examine its progress on gender equality.
• 🗳️ Despite previous attempts by various prime ministers, this time the bill has a higher chance of success due to the BJP's brute majority in Parliament.

Q & A

Why was the recent parliamentary session in India considered a surprise?

The recent parliamentary session was a surprise because it was called as a special session, but the government did not specify the reason for calling it, leading to speculation about what the government planned to do.

What did the Prime Minister reveal in his first speech in the new Parliament building?

In his first speech in the new Parliament building, the Prime Minister revealed that the government had passed the Women's Reservation Bill in the Cabinet and introduced it in the Lok Sabha.

What is the purpose of the Women's Reservation Bill?

The purpose of the Women's Reservation Bill is to reserve one-third of all electoral seats for women in India, including in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and union territories.

How does the reservation of seats work under the proposed bill?

If a state has 100 seats, one-third (around 33 seats) will be reserved exclusively for women candidates. Women can contest in these reserved seats as well as other unreserved seats, but these 33 seats are exclusively for women.

Why is the Women's Reservation Bill considered necessary in India?

The bill is considered necessary to address the gender problem in Indian politics, where women make up only 15% of Lok Sabha seats and 14% of Rajya Sabha seats, with many states having less than 10% women in their legislatures.

What is the current status of women's representation in local bodies in India?

In local bodies, India already reserves one-third of the seats for women, with 44% of local representatives being women, higher than many countries like France, the UK, Germany, and China.

What is the proposed implementation process for the Women's Reservation Bill?

The proposed implementation process involves three steps: conducting a census, redrawing constituencies (delimitation) based on the census data, and then implementing the women's quota. The process is likely to take several years.

When did the idea of a women's quota in Indian politics originate?

The roots of the women's quota proposal date back to the 1970s when a government committee found that India had failed to ensure gender equality, triggering a debate on reservation for women.

What was the objection raised by parties representing the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community?

The OBC parties feared that OBC women would lose out since seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) but not for OBCs, and that upper-caste women would dominate the quotas.

What factors contribute to the likelihood of this bill being passed now?

The BJP government has a brute majority in Parliament and does not need to deal with coalition politics, and women's reservation was one of their campaign promises in 2014 and 2019, increasing the chances of the bill being passed.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ India's New Parliament Building and Women's Reservation Bill

This paragraph introduces the significance of India's new Parliament building, which was inaugurated in May 2023 but held its first proceedings today. It also discusses the surprise special session called by the government, leading to speculation about its purpose. The Prime Minister's speech revealed the government's plan to introduce the Women's Reservation Bill, which aims to reserve one-third of all electoral seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and union territories, including reserved seats for backward communities.

05:01

🗳️ The History and Implementation of Women's Reservation in India

This paragraph delves into the history and necessity of the Women's Reservation Bill in India. It highlights the gender problem in Indian politics, with women making up only a small percentage of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. It explains the quota system already in place at the local level, which has empowered women and improved gender representation. However, as the hierarchy increases, representation decreases, with only one female chief minister across 28 states. The paragraph also discusses the roots of the proposal dating back to the 1970s, the UN's request for a report, and various committees and attempts by Prime Ministers to implement the quota over the decades, facing opposition and delays. It also addresses the concerns of the OBC community about the impact on their representation. Finally, it expresses optimism that the BJP's majority in Parliament and campaign promises could lead to the realization of the Women's Reservation Bill, ushering in a new era of Indian democracy.

Keywords

💡Parliament

Parliament refers to the legislative body responsible for enacting laws and overseeing the government in India's democratic system. It is described as the 'Temple of India's democracy' in the video, indicating its importance and reverence as the central institution of the country's governance. The script mentions the MPs (Members of Parliament) meeting in the new Parliament building, highlighting its significance as the venue where lawmakers gather to discuss and pass bills.

💡Special Session

A special session of Parliament is called by the government for a specific purpose, such as passing a certain bill or discussing an urgent matter. The video mentions that the current session surprised many because it was not a routine session, and the government did not specify the reason for calling it, leading to speculation about the government's intentions. This concept is introduced to build anticipation and intrigue around the government's plans that were eventually revealed in the Prime Minister's speech.

💡Women's Reservation Bill

The Women's Reservation Bill, or the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, is a proposed legislation that aims to reserve one-third of all electoral seats for women in the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament), state assemblies, and union territories. This bill seeks to address the gender imbalance in Indian politics by ensuring increased representation of women in elected bodies. The video describes the bill's introduction in the Lok Sabha and its provisions for reserving 33% of seats exclusively for women candidates, including in constituencies reserved for scheduled tribes and scheduled castes.

💡Reservation

Reservation is a system of affirmative action in India that sets aside a certain proportion of seats in education, government jobs, and elected bodies for marginalized communities, such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The video discusses extending the reservation system to include one-third of seats reserved for women in both general and reserved constituencies. This concept is crucial as it aims to address historical disadvantages faced by certain groups and increase their representation in various sectors.

💡Census

Census is a periodic count and collection of demographic data on the population of a country. The video mentions that the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill is contingent on the completion of a census, which will provide updated population figures. This data is necessary for the delimitation (redrawing) of electoral constituencies based on population changes. The last census in India was conducted in 2011, and the 2021 census was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The census is a crucial prerequisite for the reservation bill as it will determine the number of seats that can be allocated for women.

💡Delimitation

Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral constituencies based on changes in population distribution, as revealed by the census. The video suggests that the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill will occur in three steps: census, delimitation, and then the quota. Delimitation is necessary to ensure fair representation and proportional allocation of seats based on the updated population figures. This process adjusts the boundaries of constituencies to account for population shifts and ensures that each seat represents roughly the same number of people.

💡Quota

A quota is a fixed percentage or proportion of seats, positions, or resources that are set aside or reserved for a specific group. In the context of the video, the term 'quota' refers to the reservation of one-third of all electoral seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and union territories. This quota system aims to increase the representation of women in elected bodies by guaranteeing a minimum level of participation. The video discusses the implementation of this quota after the completion of the census and delimitation processes.

💡Panchayat Raj

Panchayat Raj is a system of local self-government in rural areas of India. It is a three-tier structure consisting of Gram Panchayats (village councils), Panchayat Samitis (block level councils), and Zilla Parishads (district level councils). The video mentions that India already reserves one-third of seats for women in local elections, such as the Panchayat Raj system. This has empowered women by increasing their representation at the local level, with 1.45 million women serving as local representatives and 86,000 women leading their local bodies. The success of the reservation system at the local level is cited as a reason to extend it to state and national legislatures.

💡Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Indian Parliament. It is a permanent body, with members (MPs) elected by the state and territorial legislatures. The video contrasts the low representation of women in the Lok Sabha (lower house) and the Rajya Sabha, which have only 15% and 14% women MPs, respectively. Notably, the proposed Women's Reservation Bill will apply to the Lok Sabha but not the Rajya Sabha. This is because the Rajya Sabha is an indirectly elected body, and the quota will only apply to directly elected legislatures.

💡OBC (Other Backward Classes)

Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are a socially and educationally disadvantaged group that is eligible for certain affirmative action schemes in India. The video mentions that some political parties representing OBCs had objections to the Women's Reservation Bill. Their concern was that since seats are already reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), but not for OBCs, a women's quota could result in OBC women losing out, with upper-caste women dominating the reserved seats. This opposition from OBC parties is cited as one of the reasons the bill faced difficulties in passing in previous attempts.

Highlights

Today, India's lawmakers met in the new Parliament building for the first time, inaugurated in May 2023.

The current Parliament session was a surprise, not a routine session, and there was speculation about the government's agenda.

The Prime Minister's speech revealed the government's plan to introduce the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which reserves one-third of all electoral seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and union territories.

The bill aims to correct the gender problem in Indian politics, where women make up only 15% of Lok Sabha seats and 14% of Rajya Sabha seats.

The reservation has already empowered women at the local level, with 44% of local representatives being women, higher than many other countries.

However, at higher levels, the representation of women is low, with only one out of 28 states having a female chief minister.

The quota will apply to the Lok Sabha but not the Rajya Sabha, and to state assemblies but not legislative councils.

The implementation of the quota will proceed in three steps: census, delimitation, and then the quota, which could take until 2026 or 2029 to roll out.

The roots of this proposal date back to the 1970s, when a government committee found that India had failed to ensure gender equality.

In the 1980s, the idea gained political backing, and in 1992, the quota was implemented partially at the local level.

In 1996, Prime Minister Deve Gowda tabled the proposal for a one-third quota in all elected bodies, but some parties objected due to concerns about OBC representation.

Every prime minister since then has tried to revive the effort, but the bill faced challenges and was only partially successful.

This time, the BJP has a brute majority in Parliament, and the women's quota was a campaign promise, increasing the chances of the proposal becoming a reality.

The implementation of the women's quota could usher in a new era of Indian democracy.

Overall, the transcript discusses India's efforts to address the gender imbalance in politics through the introduction of a constitutional amendment to reserve one-third of electoral seats for women.

Transcripts

the Canada dampener aside today was a

very important Day in India we often say

that the parliament is the Temple of

India's democracy and today India got a

new Temple for the first time India's

lawmakers met in the new Parliament

building this one

it was inaugurated back in May 2023

but today the proceedings began not

without a farewell to the old house

though

the MPS first met in the central Hall of

the old Parliament the Prime Minister

spoke so did the Lok Sabha speaker and

opposition leaders and then they walked

to the new building

now this current Parliament session had

surprised many it's not a routine

session it was supposed to be a special

one

usually governments call these special

sessions for a specific reason to pass a

certain bill or to discuss something

that's very urgent

but this time the government did not say

why why was the session called hence

there was speculation and everyone had a

theory about what the government would

do today the Prime Minister ended all of

that his first speech in the new

building revealed the government's plan

the women's reservation Bill listen to

this

foreign

[Music]

foreign

the cabinet passed the bill yesterday

and today it was introduced in the Lok

Sabha the 128th Constitutional Amendment

Bill what does it do it will reserve one

third of all electoral seats for women

in India

in the Lok Sabha in the state assemblies

and in union territories

let me explain with numbers imagine

there is a state with 100 seats now if

this bill is passed one-third of these

seats will be reserved for women that's

around 33 seats in these seats only

women candidates can contest and they

can contest in other seats as well but

these 33 are exclusively for women

it will apply to reserved seats as well

you see Indian legislatures have seats

reserve for backward communities like

scheduled tribes and scheduled castes

one third of these will also be reserved

for women not all women only women from

that community

now let's get some questions out of the

way why was this necessary and if it

wasn't obvious I will tell you why

politics has a gender problem in India

women make up only 15 percent of all Lok

Sabha seats in the rajya Sabha that's 14

percent

Indian states have the same problem at

least 17 states have less than 10

percent women in their legislatures

how do you correct this in an ideal

world political parties would do more

they would put up more women candidates

they would cultivate more women leaders

since that is not happening India is

betting on the next best thing and that

is reservation in fact

we already do this in local elections

India reserves one-third of the seats

for women like your panchayat Raj system

or your city corporations

and this quota has empowered women

India has around 3.2 million local

Representatives

1.45 million of them are women 1.45

million local Representatives 86

000 women head their local bodies they

call the shots

in fact India is actually doing better

than most countries at least at the

local level

around 44 of our local representatives

are women 44 in France is 40 percent in

the UK 34 in Germany 27 and in China 23

percent

so India's plan has worked

but as you grow go up the hierarchy it

hasn't

we have 28 states in India only one of

them has a female chief minister only

one one in 28.

the goal is to correct this by extending

the quota to all elected legislatures

and elected is a key word here because

this quota will apply to the Lok Sabha

but not the rajya Sabha similarly it

will apply to State assemblies but not

State Legislative councils

and when will this roll out not anytime

soon the Bill calls for three steps in a

particular order first census second

delimitation and then quota

India's last census was held in the year

2011. the one in 2021 was delayed by the

Wuhan virus pandemic so the first step

is to do another census and based on

that redraw constituencies only then can

the women's quota be implemented

and how long will that take the

government has not set a deadline not

that we know of some say it's 2026

others say 2029 perhaps but delays aside

it would be a huge step forward and we

say about time

the roots of this proposal date back to

the 1970s

the United Nations asked the Indian

government for a report then the 1970s

they wanted to see our progress on

gender equality so the government of

India set up a committee and what it

found was not encouraging the committee

said that India had failed to ensure

gender equality and this triggered a

debate several states began reserving

seats for women they thought it would

solve the problem

in the 1980s this idea got political

backing

in 1987

prime minister Rajiv Gandhi formed a

committee on gender equality this

committee had 353 recommendations one of

them was women's quota

in 1992 this proposal was implemented

only partially though one third of the

seats in local bodies were reserved for

women but State assemblies in the

parliament were left untouched in 1996

Prime Minister David actually devagoda

went one step ahead he tabled the whole

proposal one-third of seats in all

elected bodies

now most of the parties agreed to this

idea but some holdouts remained

especially parties representing the OBC

community

the other backward classes OBC

and what was their objection you see

seats are reserved for the SC and St

community

but not for the OBC

so the fear was that OBC women would

lose out that upper caste women would

dominate the quotas

and so the bill was told

since then every prime minister in India

has tried to revive this effort atal

bihari rajpayee tried twice no luck on

one occasion MP snatched the bill from

The Minister's hand they tore it up Dr

Manmohan Singh also tried and he had

partial luck in 2010 the women's

reservation bill was passed in the rajya

Sabha but it never reached the Lok Sabha

so will this time be different well

women's quota was a bjp's campaign

promise both in 2014 and again in 2019

plus they have a brute majority in

Parliament so no Coalition business

which means the proposal will now be a

reality it could usher in a new era of

Indian democracy