# Empowering Women: The Women's Reservation Bill
In a historic move, the Central Cabinet recently convened a crucial meeting during a special session of the Parliament. According to reliable sources, this meeting resulted in the much-awaited approval of the Women's Reservation Bill. This bill had been a subject of intense speculation and discussion, with various conjectures surrounding its fate. However, setting aside all speculations, the Central Cabinet has finally given its nod of approval to this pivotal legislation. With this approval in hand, the Women's Reservation Bill is now set to be presented in the Lok Sabha.
## Unveiling the Women's Reservation Bill
The Women's Reservation Bill proposes to reserve 33 percent or one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. Notably, within this 33 percent quota, there is a provision for sub-reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Anglo-Indian women. The bill also suggests that after every general election, the reserved seats should be rotated among different constituencies within a state or a union territory. This rotation mechanism aims to ensure equitable representation for women across various electoral regions. Importantly, after the lapse of 15 years from the enactment of this amendment, the reservation of seats for women will cease to exist.
## A Long-Awaited Bill
The Women's Reservation Bill has been pending for nearly 27 years, making it a matter of great significance. As per available statistics, the representation of women in the Lok Sabha is currently less than 15 percent, while in state legislative assemblies, it is even lower, at 10 percent. The last significant push for this bill occurred in 2010, when amidst chaos, the Rajya Sabha managed to pass the bill, leading to the expulsion of a few members who opposed the 33 percent reservation for women. However, the bill eventually got stalled as it failed to receive approval from the Lok Sabha.
## Bipartisan Support: BJP and Congress Stand United
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress have consistently supported the Women's Reservation Bill. While some other parties had raised objections regarding certain aspects of the bill, particularly related to the sub-reservation for OBC women, this special session witnessed a strong push for the bill's passage by various parties. The government, however, has asserted that a prudent decision will be made at the appropriate time.
## Current Representation of Women in Parliament
At present, the Lok Sabha comprises 78 female Members of Parliament, representing a meager 15 percent of the total 543 seats. In a similar vein, the Rajya Sabha, as of last December, had an approximate representation of women at about 14 percent. Furthermore, in 10 state legislative assemblies across the country, the representation of women falls below 10 percent. These states include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, and Mizoram.
In conclusion, the approval of the Women's Reservation Bill is a significant step towards gender equality and women's empowerment in Indian politics. It holds the promise of ensuring that women have a more substantial role in shaping the nation's legislative landscape. As this bill progresses through the parliamentary process, it marks a significant stride towards realizing the goal of a more inclusive and representative democracy in India.
```mermaid
graph TD
A[Approval of Women's Reservation Bill]
B[33% Reservation in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies]
C[Sub-reservation for SC, ST, and Anglo-Indian women]
D[Rotation of Reserved Seats After General Elections]
E[Ceasing of Reservation After 15 Years]
F[Bipartisan Support: BJP and Congress]
G[Current Representation of Women in Parliament]
H[Lok Sabha - 15%, Rajya Sabha - 14%]
I[10 States with Less than 10% Female Representation]
J[Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram]
A --> B
B --> C
C --> D
D --> E
F --> A
G --> H
G --> I
```
*Please note that this article is based on the information available at the time of writing and may be subject to updates and changes in the future.*