Women's Reservation Bill: Opposing Political Opinions Explained

By: WE staff

N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

N. Chandrababu Naidu has come out in full support of the proposed delimitation bill by the Centre and the  immediate introduction of women reservation in Parliament  and state Assemblies. He supported the principle of decoupling the seat allocation from population data, claiming that basing representation on census data would discriminate against southern states that effectively practiced family planning.

N Chandrababu supported the increase in the number of seats in Lok Sabha, terming it as scientific and balanced. He further rejected the Opposition issues of political manipulation citing that the electoral victory would be based on performance and not the number of seats. In defending women reservation, he said that it would enhance good leadership in the long run. Moreover, he supported the idea of a socio-economic caste census to increase targeted welfare and economic empowerment.

Smriti Irani former Union Minister & senior BJP leader

Erstwhile Union Minister, Smriti Irani has been a key supporter of the enactment of women reservation terming it as a historic move towards guaranteeing women better  and more political representation. She pointed out that the relocation is a sign that the government is dedicated towards empowering women in all sectors of society and giving them a greater voice in the law-making process.

Smiriti dismissed the criticism by the Opposition on the issue, claiming that efforts to challenge the timing or connection with delimitation serve to undermine the larger aim of gender equality. She insisted that the reform is not politically driven but seeking to correct long standing underrepresentation of women in the legislatures.

About the transformative power of the policy, Smiriti asserted that more representation would result in inclusive governance and better policy outcomes. On the whole, her stance puts into perspective the reservation of women as a reform, which is progressive and needed as it makes democracy more representative and fair.

Reacting to the Bill being defeated on the Lok Sabha floor, Smriti Irani said, “The Congress and its supporting allies celebrated the fact that women who have struggled for years in politics, and who were only demanding 33 percent reservation in Parliament, were denied their rights.”

Prathibha Patil, Former President of India

“I am confident that this progressive initiative will ignite the aspirations of countless women, particularly from rural and marginalized communities, encouraging them to  pursue leadership roles and contribute meaningfully to nation-building.”

Pratibha Patil has been a very strong advocate of the law of women reservation and has termed it as a ground-breaking move towards Indian democracy. She pointed out that the law officially acknowledges the huge efforts of women in all sectors and establishes institutional avenues to their dominance in government.

The reform is not just a legal provision but a national commitment to gender equality and inclusive development, Pratibha stressed. She observed that greater representation of women in Parliament and state legislatures would bring more diversity to the debates, balance policy making and empower democratic participation.

She also emphasized how it can empower women, especially rural and marginalized women, to assume leadership positions and participate in nation-building. On the whole, Pratibha sees the law as a decisive step towards closing historical disparities and creating a more equal, empowered, and inclusive India.

Let us take a look at the influential political voices who showcased their reservations against the way the Women’s Reservation Bill was being implemented, thus resulting in the bill not being passed in the Lok Sabha.