Political representation is a necessary condition for a liberal democracy. Political quotas are meant to address the absence of those who are excluded because of the inegalitarian social structures in which political processes are enacted. This is accepted as a legitimate justification for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe quotas in legislatures and Parliament. Reserved quotas for women are a fair extension of that same principle. The Women’s Reservation Bill must empower women to address their situation politically, not to serve the old hierarchies once again.
