The Impact And Effectiveness Of The Women Reservation Act, 2023 In Enhancing Women’s Participation & Representation In Indian Politics: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Historical Background, Challenges, And Alternative Strategies
Mr. Ankit Kumar Maddheshiya, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), Amity Law School, Amity University, Noida
ABSTRACT
As we all know that India is growing at an exceptional rate, and this 21st century has been predicted to be the Indian century in every field. Being the largest population with the largest democracy in the world, where women comprise 50% of the total population, the participation of women is much lower in India. The constitution of India under Article 14 guarantees “equality” to every citizen of India, but the participation and representation of women in Indian politics at any stage, be it local body elections, state- level elections, or national-level elections, are much below the expected belt.
This paper aims to draw attention to the "WOMEN RESERVATION ACT, 2023”, passed by both houses of the Indian Parliament in a special session of the Indian Parliament held in September 2023, and also to analyse the political, social, and psychological aspects of the fewer participation and representation of women in Indian politics. This paper also aims to understand the historical background, status of women in Indian politics, challenges in the implementation of the passed act, and how the bill can be put effectively into practice.
This paper is also pertinent to suggest some alternatives and suggestions to consider for increasing the participation and representation of women in mainstream politics, apart from directly giving reservation to the state legislatures and in single or both houses of the Indian parliament. The participation of women in a nation’s growth is very important, and to improve the participation, it is important that their voices, problems, and issues are heard. For that, the increase in participation and representation of women in politics is worth every hour.
