How much of an impact will the Women’s Reservation Bill have? | In Focus podcast

The Constitution 128th Amendment Bill, popularly known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, was passed by both Houses of the Parliament last month. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, as the Bill is now known, seeks to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies for women. 

It has taken the country over 25 years to pass the Bill, after it was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in 1996, by the then Deve Gowda-led United Front government. At that time, it was heatedly opposed, and subsequently, despite being reintroduced several times, the Bill was not passed, until this year.