Political Empowerment of Women in India: Understanding the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

The Indian freedom struggle was historic in the sense that it led to the beginning of women’s participation in public affairs. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, inspired a large number of women to participate in the struggle for political independence. Gandhi’s deep faith in equal mental competence of women with that of men encouraged them to come forward and participate in the freedom movement. However, women occupied less than 5% of the total Lok Sabha (Lower House) seat in the first general election soon after independence which was not encouraging considering their participation in the freedom struggle. Therefore, the question of women representation remains one of the most debated issues in Indian politics which resonates in the contemporary period also. In this context, this article attempts to understand the history of women’s political representation and tries to address the question of women reservation in Indian politics considering the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam passed in 2023.