Reservations take SC/STs to Parliament, but not to positions of influence

Their proportional share in the Lok Sabha is not reflected in their presence in various committees, implying limited influence and authority.

Few lawmakers from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Lok Sabha are appointed to the various committees that discuss and analyse proposed laws, scrutinise expenditure and policies, and generally hold the government of the day accountable, our analysis of parliamentary data shows.

Reservation for the SC and ST communities in the Lok Sabha has existed for seven decades. We find that SC/ST members' proportional share in the Lok Sabha is not reflected in their presence in various committees, implying that SC/ST parliamentarians have limited influence and authority inside the country's highest legislative body.

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