Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said Women’s Reservation Political Leadership can open new paths for women in Indian politics. He made the remarks at an NCW capacity-building workshop in Faridabad.Key HighlightsThe 2024 Lok Sabha election elected 74 women MPs out of 543 seats, or 13.6%.The women’s reservation law provides for 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. The reservation will also cover one-third of seats reserved for SC and ST members.The law was passed by Parliament in September 2023 and is linked to census and delimitation.What Did Om Birla Say?Speaking at the National Commission for Women (NCW) capacity-building workshop in Faridabad, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said women should have a bigger role in making public policy.He said women should not only receive government support. They should also help make policies, programmes and laws.The Lok Sabha Speaker women’s reservation remarks highlight the need for more women in decision-making.“Women’s roles must evolve beyond merely receiving support to actively designing and shaping policies, programmes and legislation.”Birla said women members in Parliament, State Assemblies, panchayats and municipalities can help bring local issues into law-making.How Much Reservation Is Proposed?India has 543 elected Lok Sabha seats. In the 2024 election, 74 women were elected. This was 13.6% of the House.The women reservation bill, now the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, provides for one-third, or 33%, reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. It also covers the Delhi Assembly.If applied to 543 seats simply as one-third, the number would be about 181 seats. The exact reserved seats will depend on the delimitation process.The law also provides for one-third of SC and ST reserved seats to be reserved for women. Reserved seats are to be rotated after delimitation. When Will the Reservation Start?The reservation was passed by Parliament in September 2023. However, it does not apply immediately to the existing Lok Sabha.Under the 2023 law, the reservation comes into effect after the first census conducted after the law and a related delimitation exercise. This is why women’s political representation India remains a major issue.Why Is Women’s Representation Important?India has made progress in women empowerment in politics, but women still form a smaller share of elected lawmakers.Om Birla said women are nearly half of India's population. He also stressed that their participation is important for the goal of a developed India.Greater women in political leadership could help bring more focus to issues related to families, health, education, safety, jobs and local development.The reservation is therefore seen as a major step toward increasing the political participation of women India and creating more opportunities for women leaders.
