In a groundbreaking move, the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, has achieved gender parity by nominating 50% women members to the panel of Vice-Chairpersons. This marks the first time in history that women members have been given equal representation in this panel.
The reconstitution of the panel, which took place before the Monsoon Session, includes a total of eight names, with four women making up half of the panel. The nominations were announced by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on the first day of the Monsoon Session.
Among the women members nominated are S. Phangnon Konyak, who became the first woman from Nagaland to be nominated to the panel. Konyak is also the first woman from Nagaland to be elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha. The other three women members nominated are PT Usha, a renowned athlete and Padma Shri awardee, Fauzia Khan, belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party, and Sulata Deo, who belongs to the Biju Janata Dal.
PT Usha, who was nominated to Rajya Sabha in July 2022, is a member of the Committee on Defense, the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Committee on Ethics. S. Phangnon Konyak, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is part of various committees, including the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, and the Committee on Empowerment of Women.
Fauzia Khan, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 2020, is a member of the Committee on Empowerment of Women, the Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Law and Justice. Sulata Deo, elected to the Rajya Sabha in July 2022, is a member of the Committee on Industry, the Committee on Empowerment of Women, the Joint Committee on Office of Profit, the Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
In addition to the women members, V Vijayasai Reddy, Ghanshyam Tiwari, L Hanumanthaiah, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray have also been nominated to the panel of Vice Chairpersons.
This move by the Rajya Sabha is a significant step towards achieving gender parity in the Indian political landscape. By providing equal representation to women in key decision-making positions, it paves the way for more inclusive and diverse governance. This milestone sets a positive example for other institutions to follow and promotes the empowerment of women in Indian politics.
