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Study Papers | Political Science | India | Volume 12 Issue 12, December 2023

Legislative Intervention for Women's Representation in the Mainstream Political System of India

Neeru Sewa

Abstract: This paper seeks to provide a gist on the legislative intervention undertaken in India towards seat reservation to women in the mainstream political system comprising the Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies. In cognizance of the success attained by granting seat reservation to women in the Local-Self-Governance through insertion of Articles 243D and 243T respectively for Panchayat and Municipality in the year 1992-1993, the 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill, 1996 was introduced with provision of at least one-third of the total number of seats to be allocated to women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Not only this, but other similar Bills of 1998, 1999 and 2008 could not get passed in the Parliament of India due to one or other reason. The period of a long deep silence thereafter was broken by the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the National Federation of Indian Women in the Supreme Court towards reintroduction of Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament. However, pending decision and verdict of the Court on the PIL, the Constitution 128th Amendment Bill, 2023 was introduced during the Special session of the Parliament at New Parliament House. On this occasion, it was finally passed by the both Houses of the Parliament of India to bring amendments to the Constitution for bringing reservation of seats to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies in India.

Keywords: Lok Sabha, Parliament of India, Seat reservation, State Legislative Assemblies, Women Reservation Bill

Edition: Volume 12 Issue 12, December 2023,

Pages: 1954 - 1960