India's Paralympic silver medallist Deepa Malik has expressed support for the government's initiative on the Women's Reservation Bill, emphasising the importance of greater political representation for women in a progressive society.
Speaking about the 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 comments come amid the Centre’s ongoing efforts to implement provisions relating to women’s reservation in legislative bodies. Sources indicate that the government is considering an amendment bill alongside plans to expand the Lok Sabha’s strength.
The proposal involves increasing the number of seats in the lower house from 543 to 816, with at least 273 seats reserved for women, equating to approximately one-third of the total seats. This measure is expected to coincide with delimitation based on the 2011 Census, with a Delimitation Commission Bill likely to feature in the legislative agenda.
Sources also mentioned that amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act may be introduced to support implementation. The Union Cabinet has approved a draft amendment bill, paving the way for 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies, probably commencing with the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, mandates one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, including quotas within reserved categories for SC and ST women.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently highlighted women’s contributions across sectors in an editorial and stressed the importance of increasing their participation in governance.
Malik, a Rio 2016 Paralympic medallist and former president of the Paralympic Committee of India, has been a prominent advocate for inclusion and empowerment in both sports and public life.