India's Historic Move: Reserving 1/3 of Parliament Seats for Women

India has taken a significant step towards gender representation by passing the Women's Reservation Bill, which reserves one-third of seats in the lower house of Parliament and state legislatures for women. The bill, first introduced 27 years ago, now requires approval from state legislatures. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party see this as an opportunity to project a pro-women image ahead of next year's elections. While the bill has been celebrated, some critics argue that it falls short of recognizing women's entitlement to equal representation and may not address disparities within different groups. If implemented, the bill could help improve gender parity in a country where only 15.1% of parliamentary seats are held by women.