Historical Background
Long Road to Women's Reservation
The demand for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies dates back to the 1990s. The Constitution (81st Amendment) Bill, 1996 was the first formal attempt, introduced by the H.D. Deve Gowda government. Subsequent bills (in 1998, 1999, and 2008) lapsed with the dissolution of Parliament. The Rajya Sabha passed the Women's Reservation Bill (Constitution 108th Amendment Bill) in March 2010, but it never came to a vote in the Lok Sabha. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992) had already mandated 33% reservation for women at the panchayat and urban local body level — a precedent often cited in the parliamentary reservation debate.
- Article 243D (73rd Amendment, 1992): Mandates not less than one-third reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions
- Article 243T (74th Amendment, 1992): Same one-third reservation in Urban Local Bodies
- Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill: Rajya Sabha passed (2010); never voted in Lok Sabha; lapsed
- Nari Shakti Vandan Act (2023): 128th Amendment; both Houses passed in September 2023 special session
- India's women's representation in Lok Sabha: ~15% (as of 2024) — one of the lowest among major democracies
● Tracked since April 10, 2026 · last seen July 06, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes