From Panchayats To Assemblies, Lok Sabha: A Long Journey Of Women's Quota Bill

December 1992. The Landmark 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts reserve one-third of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and in urban local bodies. PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister then. Cut to September 1996. The HD Devegowda government introduced the bill mandating 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and Assemblies. Prominent leaders of the United Front coalition, like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party, opposed it vehemently. The bill lapsed after being referred to the Geeta Mukherjee Committee.  A year later, the bill was reintroduced in Lok Sabha by the United Front government after IK Gujral became the Prime Minister.