The Women’s Reservation Act (106th Constitutional Amendment, 2023) is being fast-tracked for implementation by 2029, aiming to ensure greater representation of women in Indian legislatures. The government is considering using 2011 Census data for delimitation, instead of waiting for the next Census, to avoid delays.
Key Provisions
- Provides 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies
- Does not apply to Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils
- Popularly known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
Proposed Changes
- Lok Sabha strength may increase from 543 to 816 seats
- Around 273 seats could be reserved for women
- Target implementation by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections
Reason for Fast-Tracking
Originally, the Act’s implementation was linked to the first Census after 2026, which could delay it until around 2034. To avoid this, the government plans to:
- Use 2011 Census data
- Amend provisions related to delimitation
- Enable earlier rollout of reservation
