Women’s quota a fraught move tangled in political history
The history of this battle for greater representation calls for a deeper examination of the issue and potential reforms in India's democracy and institutions.
The question of reservation for women in representative institutions in India has been entangled in chequered legislative history with impediments in all such efforts in Parliament even as the removal of institutionalised inequalities gradually became a political imperative.
Women MPs walk to the new Parliament on Tuesday. (PTI)
The Narendra Modi government’s decision to table a constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday to reserve “as nearly as may be”, one-third of seats in Parliament and state legislatures across the country is the latest move in this direction,
Utkarsh Anand is the National Legal Editor at Hindustan Times, where he leads the newspaper's coverage of the Supreme Court, constitutional law, the judiciary and the Union law ministry. He joined Hindustan Times in 2020 after stints at Press Trust of India (PTI), The Indian Express and CNN-News18, and has over two decades of experience reporting on law, governance and public policy. His work has focussed on some of India's most consequential constitutional and legal developments, including the Supreme Court's judgments on Article 370, marriage equality, decriminalisation of homosexuality, the Babri Masjid dispute, electoral reforms and judicial appointments. He specialises in making complex legal proceedings and judgments accessible to readers while examining their wider social and political impact. Beyond daily reportage, Utkarsh has led investigative projects and enterprise reporting that have shaped public debate and prompted institutional responses. His work has received several journalism awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award. As National Legal Editor, he has also played a key role in expanding Hindustan Times' legal journalism footprint, mentoring reporters and strengthening coverage across platforms. A Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme Fellow, Utkarsh regularly writes analyses on the judiciary and constitutional issues, and his reporting is widely followed by lawyers, judges, policymakers, academics and readers seeking clarity on India's evolving legal landscape.
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