The protests stalled debate and voting on the proposal until at least Tuesday. The bill has faced strong opposition since it was first proposed more than a decade ago, with many political leaders worried that their male-dominated parties would lose seats under a female quota system.
But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government, which was re-elected last year, is confident it has enough support this time and presented the bill to parliament on International Women's Day.
The bill is an attempt to correct some of the historical mistreatment of women in this South Asian country. Most Indian women receive far less education than men and are weighed down by illiteracy, poverty and low social status.
On Monday, a UN report said 96 million women in Asia have “disappeared” because of a gender gap that deprives them of access to health care and good nutrition, including about 43 million in India. Sex-selective abortions were also blamed.
The socialist groups argue that a portion of the women's quota should be set aside for minorities and lower castes, which have been socially and economically disadvantaged as well.
The main opposition parties, including right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party and communist groups, already have announced their support to the legislation.
But socialist lawmakers blocked the proceedings after the chairman of the upper house of parliament announced that the bill was introduced by Law Minister Veerappa Moily.
Lawmakers belonging to the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Samajwadi Party rushed to the seat of the chairman and tore copies of the bill, throwing its pieces in the air.
They also tried to snatch away the microphones in front of the chairman, Hamid Ansari, but they were pushed back by marshals.
The bill would raise the number of female lawmakers in the 545-seat lower house to 181 from the current 59. It would nearly quadruple the number of women in the 250-seat upper house. The bill would also apply to state legislatures.
The two socialist groups opposed to the bill announced withdrawal of their support for the coalition government, led by Prime Minister Singh, as a mark of protest against the bill.
“There is no threat to the government,” said Jagdambika Prasad, a governing Congress party leader. Singh's government still enjoys the support of 289 members in the 545-seat Lok Sabha, the powerful lower house of parliament.
