• Mamidala Shailaja

Political participation and representation are the hallmarks of democracy. Women in India constitute nearly half the population of the country. However their representation in the various governance and decision making bodies is not up to the mark. Rather it seems to be poor. In spite of Constitutional guarantee of equal political status, women in India are unable to exercise their right to participate in political affairs. Women are not adequately presented in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. They have started playing an important role in local self-governing institutions only after that 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment. 74th Constitutional Amendment Act was passed in 1993. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act introduced reservation for women in Municipal councils and corporations in towns and urban areas. The seats shall be reserved to the extent of not less than one-third of total number of seats. This includes seats reserved for women belonging to SC/ST. These reservations will apply for direct elections only. This reservation is implemented through a process of rotation, by identifying different constituencies as a reserved constituency for each election term.

Political participation- women in Municipal councils and corporations- Women’s political empowerment

"Women Empowerment 74 Amendment: Implementation Helps Women Political Empowerment in India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 5, page no.1475-1480, May 2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1805980.pdf

"Women Empowerment 74 Amendment: Implementation Helps Women Political Empowerment in India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 5, page no. pp1475-1480, May 2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1805980.pdf