Samarkand, September 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has called for greater participation of women in democratic governance, saying women should not only exercise their right to vote but also be empowered to hold office, influence policy and participate in decision-making.
Addressing a session on “Ensuring Women’s Political Rights” at the 12th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Chadha highlighted what he described as India’s shift from women’s development to women-led development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“In India, we have seen that under the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has made a deliberate shift from women’s development to women-led development. That means a woman is not merely seen as a beneficiary of policy; she is an active account holder, an entrepreneur, an elected representative, and a decision maker,” Chadha said.
He outlined India’s progress in women’s political participation at three levels — the ballot, grassroots governance and the highest levels of decision-making.
Referring to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chadha said more than 476 million women were registered voters and their turnout was around 67 per cent, slightly higher than that of men. He noted that this was the second consecutive general election in which women’s participation exceeded men’s.
At the grassroots level, he highlighted the role of women in Panchayati Raj institutions, saying India has around 1.45 million elected women representatives, accounting for approximately 46 per cent of all elected representatives in the rural local governance system.
Chadha said 21 states have gone beyond the constitutional minimum by providing 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats. He said women representatives were actively involved in community leadership, local planning and public service delivery.
At the national and state levels, Chadha cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, also known as the Women Reservation Bill, as a landmark measure. He said the legislation provides a constitutional framework for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
“This does not merely mean representation; it’s the voice, the authority, and the decision-making power being given to women,” he said.
Concluding his address, Chadha said India’s message from Samarkand was to move beyond encouraging women to participate as voters and create institutions that enable them to govern.
“Do not only ask women to vote, enable them to govern. Give them a seat, give them authority, and do not only speak of empowerment, but also build institutions that make it irreversible,” he said.
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