India is the World’s largest democracy in the world. Even after 60 years of Independence and in spite of 15 general elections women still have a very low representation in parliament. Women comprise half of the population in India. They constitute 340 million voters out of the total electorate of 710 million in 2009. Still, they constitute a lowly 9% of the total strength of the Loksabha. The Indian constitution guarantees Gender equality in Articles 325 and 326. Patriarchal society, male domination in social and political life, violence in the form of dowry, domestic violence, and female infanticide, all these oppressive measures against women make the reservation for women in legislative Assemblies necessary. Women’s interests can never be completed by a group of men. That is why women need reservations.
