In a moment that will be recorded in the annals of Indian democratic history, Parliament has unanimously passed the Women’s Reservation Bill, guaranteeing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
The bill, which has been pending in various forms for nearly three decades, was passed with 454 votes in favour and none against, reflecting rare bipartisan consensus on a transformative piece of legislation.
Women members of Parliament from across party lines embraced each other as the results were announced, many with tears of emotion. The gallery, packed with women’s rights activists and civil society leaders, erupted in applause.
Implementation timeline
The reservation will come into effect from the next general election following the delimitation exercise. The government has committed to fast-tracking the delimitation process to ensure implementation by 2029.
Today, India has taken a giant leap towards true representative democracy. This is not about politics; this is about justice that was long overdue.
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