Reservation Framework
Political Representation
The constitutional reservation system for SCs and STs in Parliament is a form of affirmative representation designed to correct the historical exclusion of these communities from political power. Seats are reserved through constituency delimitation, not party nomination — meaning even in reserved constituencies, winning candidates represent broader cross-caste constituencies.
- Lok Sabha: 84 seats reserved for SCs (out of 543); 47 seats reserved for STs.
- Reservation for SCs/STs in Parliament is renewed after each Census-based delimitation exercise; reservation is currently operational on the 2001 Census-based delimitation.
- The 2024 Delimitation Exercise (post-2021 Census) when completed will redraw constituency boundaries and potentially reallocate reserved seats.
- The Women's Reservation Act (106th Amendment, 2023) also mandates that one-third of reserved SC and ST seats must be allocated to women.
● Tracked since March 09, 2026 · last seen April 02, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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