Women's Reservation Will Expand Leadership Pool, Says Lok Sabha Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday said the constitutional provision reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women will create fresh pathways for women's political leadership. He expressed confidence that women would soon constitute more than half of the country's public services.

Speaking after inaugurating a two-day All-India capacity building workshop on "Gender-Responsive Governance" in Faridabad, organised by the National Commission for Women, Birla noted that sensitivity is a core strength of women's leadership. This quality, he said, helps in understanding people's concerns and arriving at effective solutions.

The remarks come amid ongoing government efforts to implement the women's reservation law ahead of the 2029 general elections. A recent attempt during the Budget Session to amend the law through a delimitation-linked constitutional amendment did not secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha.

Birla called for a collective resolve to advance women's leadership, with focused efforts to ensure greater representation of women in leadership positions across all spheres of national life.