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India's Paralympic silver medalist Deepa Malik has welcomed the government's push on the Women's Reservation Bill, stressing that greater political representation for women is essential for a progressive society.
On the proposed legislation, Malik told ANI, "I welcome this initiative of the Women's Reservation Bill by PM Modi. A special session is being held for this. A society is only considered healthy when its women are empowered." Her remarks come amid the Centre's ongoing efforts to operationalise provisions related to women's reservation in legislatures. According to sources, the government is considering an amendment bill alongside a broader exercise to expand the strength of the Lok Sabha. The proposed plan includes increasing the number of seats in the lower house from 543 to 816, with at least 273 seats earmarked for women, roughly one-third of the total strength. The move is expected to be aligned with delimitation based on the 2011 Census, with a Delimitation Commission Bill also likely to be part of the legislative agenda. Sources further indicated that amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act could be taken up to facilitate implementation. The Union Cabinet has already approved a draft amendment bill, paving the way for the rollout of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies, likely from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, commonly known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, provides for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, including quotas within the reserved categories for SC and ST women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a recent editorial, highlighted the role of women across sectors and underscored the need to enhance their participation in governance. Malik, a Rio 2016 Paralympic medallist and former president of the Paralympic Committee of India, has been a prominent voice for inclusion and empowerment, both in sports and public life. (ANI)
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