Women's Reservation Bill: Empowering Women or Inhibiting Merit?
March 9, incidentally a day after International Women’s Day, witnessed the historic sanction of the controversial Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The sanction happened after more than a decade of deliberation, with constant resistance from majority of members of the House. In fact, several opponents of the Women’s Bill turned physically hostile while the House was in session, a day before the Bill was passed. Seven such House members were voted to be suspended for the remaining term for their behavior.
Women’s Bill: A Momentous Development towards Emancipation of Women
Currently, India is ranked 100th in terms of representation by women in the Chief legislature (Lok Sabha). The percentage of women representation is a mere 11 percent, which is much below the averages of most nations across the world, including certain developing Africa nations.
Amidst this bleak scenario, the call for a women’s reservation bill appears justified. The bill ensures 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament as well as other state legislative bodies. The move will not only help women have their concerns addressed more effectively, it will hopefully enable Indian women to break the shackles of cultural stereotypes.
The Opponents’ View: Merit Matters more than the Gender
Critics of the Women’s Bill are questioning the need to have reservation for women in the first place. The debate on whether women will be able to adequately voice themselves is heated. A general outcry against the Bill is on the ground that it overlooks a person’s merit; thereby weakening the overall intellectual capacity of the Parliament and legislature.
While all of us welcome the legislation, I loved Pritish Nandy's tweet on the issue: What India needs is quality governance, not women in Parliament. We should be happy with whoever provides it.
Women's Reservation Bill is dangerous because it includes 2 issues which are not being discussed publicly.
These are:
1. Seat Rotation -
This clause kills accountability of MPs and MLAs. It also blocks fresh leaders because it forces women candidates even in areas where there suitable male candidates who have actually worked for the constituency. And, the winning candidate will know that she will not get a 'woman reserved constituency again' so she will not be motivated to listen to the voters.
2. Lottery System -
Democracy will become a gamble because a lottery will select the seats to be reserved for women. Men will be denied the constitutional right to contest elections in these constituencies.
The immediate effect will be a decrease in the number of experienced MPs because 33% of them cannot contest those seats again.
This bill does not empower women, it creates inequality.
Even lawyers should read it carefully.
Well i think that ki aaj ke zamaane mein bhi mahila ko har prakar se pratarit kiya ja raha hai. isliye, i think that women should be given atleast 75% reservation.
The appeasement of women through all means has reached a crescendo. Yet, MALES are unaware of their own RIGHTS being trampled upon.
There are jobs where MEN work harder and there are other jobs where WOMEN work. The men who fail to protest this non-recognition of the abundant work they do in politics, have no SELF-ESTEEM.
Democracy MUST mean working for the people. RESERVATIONS in a democracy are just another means of SUBVERTING DEMOCRACY.
WAKE UP, MALES! SPEAK UP!
Post new comment