Government Pushes for Cross-Party Support on Women's Reservation Implementation
The Union government plans to reconvene Parliament for a special session to pass amendments enabling the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act (106th Constitutional Amendment) ahead of the 2029 general elections.
The government is considering delinking implementation from the pending delimitation exercise, instead using 2011 Census data to operationalise the 33% quota.
Despite opposition parties questioning the timing and political motives, there is broad cross-party support for the substantive proposal itself.
The NDA government is confident of passage given near-unanimous historical support and the growing electoral salience of women voters.
The Budget Session may be extended to fast-track necessary legislative amendments to the Women's Reservation Act.
The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam)
The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of NCT Delhi for women. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on 20 September 2023 with 454 votes in favour and only 2 against, and by the Rajya Sabha unanimously with 214 votes on 21 September 2023.
The government's current push involves amending the Act to delink implementation from the pending delimitation and census, potentially using 2011 Census data instead, so that the reservation can be operationalised by the 2029 elections.
Evolution of Women's Political Reservation in India
India's journey toward women's political reservation has been incremental. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts of 1992 mandated 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies respectively. The women's reservation bill for Parliament was first introduced as the Constitution (81st Amendment) Bill in 1996 during the Deve Gowda government in the 11th Lok Sabha. The bill was reintroduced multiple times across successive parliaments but consistently lapsed due to lack of consensus.
Key Details
- 73rd Amendment (1992): Article 243D -- reserves not less than one-third of total seats in Panchayats for women, including one-third of seats reserved for SC/ST.
- 74th Amendment (1992): Article 243T -- identical provision for Municipalities.
- Several states (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) have since increased women's reservation in local bodies to 50%.
- At the local body level, women's reservation has produced over 14 lakh elected women representatives across India.
- The 81st Amendment Bill (1996), 84th Amendment Bill (1998), and 108th Amendment Bill (2008, passed in Rajya Sabha but lapsed in Lok Sabha) all preceded the successful 106th Amendment.
The success of women's reservation at the local body level since 1992 provides the precedential foundation for extending similar quotas to Parliament and State Assemblies, which is now being operationalised.
Special Sessions of Parliament
A special session of Parliament is convened outside the regular Budget, Monsoon, and Winter sessions, typically for specific legislative business. Under Article 85(1), the President summons each House of Parliament, and there is no constitutional distinction between a regular and special session. The President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers (Article 74).
The government's plan to convene a special session underlines the political significance of operationalising the women's quota ahead of 2029, using the same constitutional mechanism employed in September 2023 when the Act was originally passed.
- 106th Amendment passed: September 2023, with 454-2 in Lok Sabha and 214-0 in Rajya Sabha.
- Reservation quantum: 33% of seats in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, and Delhi Assembly.
- New constitutional articles inserted: 330A, 332A, 334A; Article 239AA amended.
- Sunset clause: 15 years from commencement, extendable by Parliament.
- Implementation trigger: Post-census delimitation (original); government now exploring 2011 Census data route.
- First women's reservation bill in Parliament: 1996 (81st Amendment Bill, 11th Lok Sabha).
- 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992): 33% reservation for women in Panchayats and Municipalities.
- Women's representation in 17th Lok Sabha: 78 out of 543 seats (approximately 14.4%).
- Article 368: Constitutional amendments require special majority in both Houses.