The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 30th September 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Extended exclusion

Why in News?

The Manipur government has decided to extend the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) for an additional six months, encompassing the entire state, except for the jurisdiction of 19 police stations located in seven districts within the Imphal Valley.

Key Highlights

• The extension implies that the "disturbed area" status under AFSPA will persist in all the hill districts, which primarily house tribal communities. In contrast, the valley districts have seen a gradual withdrawal of AFSPA provisions since 2022 due to what the government perceives as a "significant improvement" in the security situation there.
• This move to extend AFSPA has come amidst heightened security concerns in Manipur. The army had been actively advocating for the reinstatement of AFSPA in the valley districts, contending that its absence had impeded their counter-insurgency operations against various insurgent groups.
  • These insurgent factions, predominantly operating from Myanmar, have been advocating for Manipur's secession from India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had initiated a case to probe a transnational conspiracy by these groups to wage war against the government.
• The state witnessed a surge in ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kuki people in May. This conflict resulted in the highest number of civilian casualties in Manipur since 1999, with at least 175 people losing their lives. In response to the escalating security situation, the state government is contemplating a "one district, one force" deployment strategy for security personnel.

Push for more women, this time in the police

Why in News?

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader began a day-long hunger strike in New Delhi, demanding passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill (WRB).

What is the Women’s Reservation Bill (WRB)?

• The Constitution 108^th Amendment Bill, 2008 seeks to reserve one-third (33%) of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. 
• Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.
• Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this Amendment Act.

What is the timeline of the bill?

• 1996 – The WRB was 1^st introduced in 1996, and was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, however, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha and had to be reintroduced.
• 1998 – The Bill was reintroduced and yet again, it failed to get support and lapsed.
• 1999 – The Bill was reintroduced by the NDA government in the 13^th Lok Sabha and was subsequently introduced twice in the year 2003.
• 2004 – The UPA government included it in its Common Minimum Programme and finally tabled it, this time in Rajya Sabha to prevent it from lapsing again, in 2008.
• Few recommendations made by the 1996 Geeta Mukherjee Committee were included in this version of the Bill.
• 2010 – The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha and lapsed in the Lok Sabha, since then the demand for reservation for women in legislative bodies is not new.

  Why did the parliament fail to pass the WRB?

• Heated debates & sexist taunts – The WRB has seen some of the heated debates and a fair share of sexism.
• Quota within quota – The 1996 committee recommended reservation for OBC women within the 1/3^rd reservation for women of the Bill, however, this demand has never been incorporated.
• This has led to opponents saying that the WRB will not benefit their women.
• Lack of political ability – Only Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) have reserved seats for women for election candidatures.
• Diverts attention – Opponents contend WRB diverts attention from the larger issues of electoral reform such as criminalisation of politics and inner party democracy.

What is the status of Women Reservation in India?

• Gujarat – It elected just 8% of women legislators in its 182-member assembly.
• Himachal Pradesh – Where every second voter is a female, has elected 67 men and only 1 woman.
• National average – The national average of women in all state assemblies remains around 8%.
• Rankings – India ranks 144 out of 193 countries in the representation of women in parliament according to Inter-Parliamentary Union’s report.
• Among our immediate neighbours, India falls behind Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal.

Why is WRB important?

• Women have historically suffered due to systemic inequality and barriers.
• Caste groups – Any scheme of women’s reservation must be within the constitutional tenets and must also account for its representation across caste groups.
• Gender quota – Without a gender quota, women’s representation will continue to remain marginal causing a massive deficit in our democracy.
• Panchayats – Some recent studies on panchayats have shown the positive effect of reservation on empowerment of women and on allocation of resources.
• Vote share – Though women’s vote share has increased the number of women in positions of power has not increased.

What is the way forward?

• With its massive women population, India has a huge reservoir of potential which, if unleashed, will take the country much ahead.
• Women’s reservation will jump-start the democratic process, allowing significant majority to have a say in how their lives must be governed.