Cabinet Clears Bills to Implement Women's Reservation Before 2029 Elections
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Key Details
- 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.
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.
- 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)