The Lok Sabha unequivocally endorsed a bill stipulating a groundbreaking 33 per cent reservation for women in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill will be pivotal in augmenting the representation and active participation of women as public representatives in the legislative processes of J&K and Puducherry. The legislation, once enacted, ensures a minimum of 29 to 30 seats in the 90-member House, in addition to five nominated MLAs. The passage of this pivotal legislation marks a significant stride towards gender inclusivity in the legislative processes of Jammu and Kashmir, with the attendant complexities and contentions emblematic of the broader political landscape.
Since the abrogation of Article 370, the government has ardently pursued transformative reforms in the UT. It is an incontrovertible fact that previous reservations, ubiquitous throughout the country, were conspicuously absent in Jammu and Kashmir. Successive administrations capitulated to the coercive tactics of regional parties, resulting in the marginalised sections of society being systematically denied authentic representation across various domains, particularly in politics. The reorganisation of districts, seemingly arbitrary and bereft of any rationale in terms of land and population dynamics, further exacerbated the disparities. The allocation of assembly seats, disproportionately favouring region-centric politics, underscored the political and bureaucratic neglect of the Jammu and Ladakh regions. The political underrepresentation of Kashmiri Pandits, as well as Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes, was glaring. For decades, the very purpose of reservations was subverted in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the current landscape has undergone a paradigm shift, dismantling the citadels of ad-hoc measures and irrational policies. The region is now transitioning towards established procedures akin to those of the rest of the country. The significance of the recent 33% reservation for women in a region where ancestral property rights were denied upon marriage outside the state cannot be overstated. Similar discriminatory narratives plagued Safai workers and refugees. The transformative changes implemented in the last four years have materialised the aspirations of these marginalised segments. Domicile certificates, now issued uniformly, have equalised these neglected residents of Jammu and Kashmir with their counterparts elsewhere in the UT, rendering their children eligible for employment and land ownership. Financial assistance, amounting to crores, has been disbursed, with ongoing efforts to register remaining unregistered refugees for due compensation. Amended laws now assure reservations for historically neglected and weaker sections, fostering the upliftment of marginalised communities.
The implementation of women’s reservation in the assembly is not an odd measure favouring women. In the context of Jammu and Kashmir, the widow pension programme has achieved complete saturation at 100 per cent, and one-stop centres catering to the welfare of women have been established in every district of the Union Territory. Furthermore, plans are underway for the establishment of specialised women-centric markets, referred to as “ladies haat,” in both Srinagar and Jammu. To augment the socio-economic empowerment of women, self-help groups have been instituted to provide substantial financial and technical support. The remarkable reception and success experienced by these women’s self-help groups defy conventional understanding.
Each passing day witnesses the formulation of policy decisions that lay robust foundations for the future progress of Jammu and Kashmir. While the women’s reservation may not be applicable until 2029, it has unequivocally paved the way for substantial female representation in forthcoming political elections. The government deserves commendation for orchestrating these historic reforms poised to reshape the very fabric of Jammu and Kashmir in the times to come.
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