The Women’s Reservation Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023), has received a green light from the Union Cabinet for expedited implementation.
It aims to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Delhi Assembly ahead of the 2029 elections.
The policy also provides for sub-quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women and proposes that one-third of seats be reserved for women over a 15-year period.
The implementation is linked to the delimitation process, as defined under Articles 82 and 170 of the Indian Constitution, which involves redrawing the boundaries of constituencies to ensure the principle of ‘one vote, one value’.
Under this framework, seats reserved for women will be allocated on a rotational basis and governed by parliamentary legislation.
The Bill introduces new constitutional provisions, including Article 330A for reservation in the Lok Sabha, Article 332 for state legislative assemblies, and provisions under Article 239AA for the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
There is also speculation that the number of Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 following delimitation, although this remains subject to further legislative and procedural developments.
Historical Context and Significance
The demand for women’s reservation in India has deep historical roots. During the colonial period, women’s political participation largely emerged within the broader framework of the Indian National Movement.
In 1931, Begum Shah Nawaz and Sarojini Naidu jointly submitted a memorandum on the status of women to the British Prime Minister, marking an early push for political inclusion.
Subsequently, the 1988 National Perspective Plan for Women recommended reservation for women from Panchayats to the Rajya Sabha. This laid the groundwork for the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which mandated one-third reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies, including provisions for SC/ST women.
Despite repeated attempts in 1996, 1998, 2009, and 2014, the Women’s Reservation Bill failed to secure parliamentary approval for decades. The first Bill, introduced on September 12, 1996, was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee led by Geeta Mukherjee after failing to pass.
Later policy efforts, including the 2011 National Policy for the Empowerment of Women and subsequent recommendations by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, continued to push for greater representation.
The role of delimitation commissions—set up in 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002—has also been significant, though challenges remain.
The post-2001 delimitation process excluded several northeastern states, including Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. In Assam, the 2023 draft delimitation exercise was challenged before the Supreme Court, reflecting ongoing complexities in electoral restructuring.
The implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act is expected to play a transformative role in addressing gender disparities in political representation.
Greater participation of women in decision-making can contribute to more inclusive governance and improved policy outcomes, particularly in areas such as health, education, gender-based violence, and economic empowerment.
Ultimately, the true measure of the Act will lie in its long-term impact—how effectively it reshapes political institutions and contributes to broader social change.
Views expressed are that of the author and do not reflect EastMojo’s stance on this or any other issue.
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