India, April 22 -- The Nari Shakti Vandan Vidheyak, also known as the Women's Reservation Bill, is perhaps the first Constitutional Amendment Bill that could not secure Parliament's approval since Narendra Modi took office as Prime Minister. On one earlier occasion, in the context of the GST Act, when the numbers in the Rajya Sabha were not in the government's favour, the government still succeeded in getting the Bill passed after initial hiccups. The question that arises is: why did the Nari Shakti Vandan Vidheyak fail to pass this time, compelling the government to withdraw two other associated Bills as well?

To comprehend this situation, we must examine this legislation within its historical context. In 2023, the 'Women's Reservation ...