The thought that paved the way for the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Indian Constitution, mandating 33% reservation for women in local self-governance institutions, was based on the fulcrum that political participation is the ‘master key’ that would allow marginalised groups to unlock the doors of justice and legal protection.
Emphasising equality across all levels of governance – from panchayat to Parliament – the Indian federal system recognised that meaningful participation must begin at the grassroots.
