What Happened
- The Union Cabinet cleared draft bills to implement the Women's Reservation Act before the 2029 general elections, bypassing the original condition that implementation be contingent on completion of the Census and delimitation process.
- A Constitution Amendment Bill will amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Amendment Act, 2023), while a second ordinary bill will amend the Delimitation Act to enable redrawing of constituencies, and a third bill will extend reservation to Union Territories — Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, and Puducherry.
- The number of Lok Sabha seats is proposed to be increased from the current 543 to 816, with 273 seats reserved for women; the reservation will also operate on a "vertical basis" for SC/ST constituencies.
- A special three-day sitting of Parliament is scheduled from April 16–18, 2026, to pass the amendment bill.
- The laws, if enacted, will come into force on March 31, 2029, ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections.
Static Topic Bridges
Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 — Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023, popularly known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, inserted Articles 330A and 332A into the Constitution. Article 330A provides for reservation of one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women, and Article 332A does the same for State Legislative Assemblies. The Act also amended Article 334A to specify that this reservation shall apply within SC and ST reserved seats as well.
- Passed by Lok Sabha on September 20, 2023 (454 in favour, 2 against) and Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2023 (214–0); received Presidential assent shortly after.
- Mandates reservation of not less than one-third of total seats (including seats reserved for SCs and STs) for women.
- Contains a sunset clause: the reservation would cease after 15 years from commencement.
- Original text made implementation contingent on delimitation being carried out after the publication of the Census — the current legislative move seeks to decouple these two processes.
- The bill was the culmination of a 27-year legislative effort; an earlier Women's Reservation Bill lapsed in 2010 due to lack of consensus.
Connection to this news: The new draft bills propose amending this Act to remove the delimitation pre-condition, enabling implementation before 2029 by expanding the total number of Lok Sabha seats and reserving one-third of that expanded number for women.
Delimitation — Constitutional and Statutory Framework
Delimitation is the process of redrawing constituency boundaries and fixing the number of seats in legislative bodies, based on population data from the Census. It is carried out by a Delimitation Commission appointed under the Delimitation Act. Article 82 of the Constitution requires delimitation after each Census.
- Article 82: Parliament to re-adjust the allocation of seats in the House of the People after each Census.
- Article 170: Similarly mandates readjustment of seats in State Legislative Assemblies.
- Delimitation Act, 2002 (as amended): governs the composition and powers of the Delimitation Commission.
- The last Delimitation Commission (2002) used the 2001 Census data; the delimitation was frozen until 2026 by the 84th Amendment (2001) and 87th Amendment (2003).
- A major delimitation based on the 2021 Census (which has been delayed) is expected to significantly increase the representation of South Indian states relative to North Indian states, a contentious political issue.
Connection to this news: The proposed ordinary bill to amend the Delimitation Act is designed to enable a limited delimitation exercise — sufficient to implement women's reservation — without waiting for the full post-Census delimitation, resolving the legislative deadlock.
Parliamentary Procedures — Simple vs. Special Majority
Constitutional amendment bills in India are governed by Article 368. Amendments to the Constitution require a special majority (two-thirds of members present and voting AND a majority of total membership of each House). Some amendments additionally require ratification by at least half of the State Legislatures.
- Article 368(2): special majority required for amending fundamental provisions.
- The original 106th Amendment required a special majority, which was achieved with near-unanimous support.
- Amendments touching on the representation of States in Parliament (Article 82) additionally require ratification by at least half the State Legislatures under Article 368(2) proviso.
- A special Parliamentary session (April 16–18, 2026) has been called — historically used for landmark legislation (e.g., the 2023 Women's Reservation Bill was passed in a special session).
Connection to this news: The constitutional amendment bill to modify the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will require a special majority; if it touches delimitation provisions affecting State representation, it may also require State ratification.
Women's Representation in India — Historical Context
Women's political representation in India has been a persistent concern. The Lok Sabha and State Assemblies have consistently seen female representation below 15 percent despite India having had women Prime Ministers and Presidents.
- Current Lok Sabha (18th, elected 2024): women members constitute approximately 13.4% (74 out of 543 seats).
- The 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) had 78 women members (14.4%).
- Global average for women in parliaments: approximately 26% (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2024).
- Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils are not covered by the 106th Amendment.
- OBC reservation within women's quota is NOT provided in the 106th Amendment — a demand raised by several Opposition parties during the 2023 debate.
Connection to this news: The proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats to 816 and reserve 273 for women (one-third) would, if implemented before 2029, represent the most significant structural change to women's representation in India's Parliament since Independence.
Key Facts & Data
- Current Lok Sabha seats: 543; Proposed: 816
- Women's seats to be reserved: 273 (one-third of 816)
- Current women members in Lok Sabha: ~74 (13.4%)
- 106th Amendment passed: September 2023; Presidential assent: September 2023
- Reservation sunset clause: 15 years from commencement
- Special Parliamentary session for passage: April 16–18, 2026
- Proposed implementation date: March 31, 2029
- Bills cleared: (1) Constitution Amendment Bill, (2) Delimitation Act Amendment Bill, (3) UT extension bill (Delhi, J&K, Puducherry)