Kohima College debates on Women’s Reservation Bill

DIMAPUR — The Political Science department of Kohima College organised its 1st youth parliament on Thursday on the theme “33% reservation for women: road towards gender empowerment and inclusive governance.”

An update from the college stated that the event provided a vibrant platform for students to engage in a simulated parliamentary session and debate one of India’s most significant contemporary issues.

The speaker of the house for the session was Wati Longkumer, 3rd semester student of Political Science (Honours), while the panel of judges comprised of associate professors of Political Science namely Dr. Konei Nakhro, Ase Yalie and Kevinguno Rose.

It stated that participants representing both the ruling and opposition parties presented spirited arguments during the session. Members of the ruling party emphasised that the 33% reservation for women in political institutions was a necessary step towards bridging the gender gap in governance. They argued that India, despite being one of the world’s largest democracies with women constituting nearly half its population, continues to witness poor representation of women in politics — with only about 15% at the national level and less than 10% in many state assemblies.

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The speakers highlighted how societal barriers, domestic violence and fear of harassment discouraged women from entering political life, calling the bill a progressive step towards correcting historical inequality.

The opposition, however, raised critical concerns about the timing and implementation of the bill. They questioned the linkage of the Women’s Reservation Bill to future census and delimitation exercises, warning that such provisions could delay its enforcement. Several speakers also pointed out the absence of sub-reservation for OBC women and cautioned against the possibility of ‘elite capture,’ where urban or privileged women might dominate the reserved seats while rural and marginalised women remain excluded.

The opposition members further argued that while they strongly supported women’s empowerment, true empowerment must arise from education, training and social reform rather than dependency on reservation. One speaker noted, “Political participation should come through competence and leadership, not gender-based entitlement. We have seen women leaders like Indira Gandhi and Jayalalithaa rise without reservation — proving that women can lead through merit.”

After the debate Lenvishe of MA 1st semester secured the first prize with INR 2000 and certificate, while Kekhrievor of BA 1st semester secured the second prize with INR 1000 and certificate and Vetazo Veswuh of BA 5th semester won the third prize with INR 800 and certificate.

The event concluded with closing remarks by the judges, who commended the department for initiating the youth parliament as a platform to nurture political awareness and democratic values among students.