Quota: myth and reality

Punjab has done well to give women more political space. Generally the choice of candidates from panchayat to parliamentary elections usually depends on their electability. A candidate’s education, merit, dedication and hard work for a cause, or level of social and political awareness — all play a secondary role. This leaves women in a disadvantaged position. Limited social interaction and unlimited household responsibilities tie them down and shrink the space for electoral politics for them. That is why imperatives of reservation should outweigh concerns for gender equality, if any. Secondly, the grammar of electoral politics is such that even when men running political parties are required to put up women candidates on account of reservations, selections get narrowed down to women from political or well-to-do families.  

Thirdly, the experience of states opting for women reservations is not encouraging. It is more often the husband rather than the elected wife who does the panchayat or municipal job on her behalf. The wife at times is reduced to serving tea at panchayat meetings. Even where educated or public-spirited women with adequate back-up resources are available, family and social pressures tend to work against them. Odds are heavily stacked against women who genuinely wish to use a civic platform to make a difference to their village, town or city. At the national level the 33 per cent quota Bill for women has been pending for years, despite women being MPs, chief ministers and heads of political parties.

Despite hurdles, women are increasingly entering electoral politics, often making a beginning at the local level. In this context the Punjab Cabinet’s decision to increase women’s reservations in panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies from 33 to 50 per cent is laudable. It will have to be pursued diligently. Directly or indirectly, political parties play a key role in panchayat and civic elections. It is time to get on board women from non-political families also. The Congress government in Punjab will have to ensure that it goes beyond paying lip-service to the cause of women or fulfilling an election promise. The change it intends to bring about should be visible on the ground.