Is India's Women’s Reservation Bill the right approach to gender equality?

Context

India's Women's Reservation Bill proposes reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) and state assemblies for women, a measure debated for decades. Supporters argue it accelerates gender equality in political representation, while critics question whether quotas address root causes of women's underrepresentation or risk diluting merit-based selection. The bill has become a focal point in 2026 as the government pushes for passage before the 2029 elections, requiring cross-party consensus in a fractious parliament.