Steps for empowerment

Reservation for women should not be just to get votes

After 27 years of back and forth, the Bill enabling reservation for women was again tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, that too in a special session, via the 128th amendment to the Constitution. It is sweeping in scope, guaranteeing the reservation of 33 per cent of the seats in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies for women. The deadline is, however, some years away. If passed, it will come into effect after the delimitation exercise is complete, which is, in turn, contingent on the completion of the Census. This may not be a disadvantage because it will give the government the