Women's reservation in legislative bodies
Why in News?
On April 8, 2026, the Union Cabinet approved a draft amendment to the Women’s Reservation Act. While the original Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in 2023, its rollout was tied to a future Census and delimitation exercise, causing delays.
About
- Fast-Tracking: The government proposes using the 2011 Census data instead of waiting for a new census, aiming to implement the quota by 2029.
- House Expansion: Reports suggest the Lok Sabha strength could increase from 543 to 816 seats, with roughly 273 seats reserved for women.
- Upcoming Debate: The amendment is scheduled for debate in Parliament during a special sitting from April 16–18, 2026.
Core Provisions of the Law
- 33% Reservation: Reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly for women.
- Horizontal Reservation: One-third of seats already reserved for SCs and STs will be specifically allocated to women within those categories.
- Sunset Clause: The reservation is initially for a period of 15 years, though Parliament can extend it later.
- Rotation of Seats: Reserved seats will be rotated to different constituencies after each delimitation exercise.
Implementation Framework
- Delimitation Requirement: Implementation was originally contingent upon a fresh Census and the subsequent redrawing of constituency boundaries (delimitation).
- Proposed 2026 Change: To avoid waiting until 2030+, the government now seeks to amend Article 334A to decouple the reservation from the next census.
- Constitutional Hurdles: Implementing these changes requires a Special Majority (2/3rds in both Houses) and ratification by 50% of the States.
Recent Status of Representation
- Lok Sabha: Women currently hold about 13.6% to 15% of seats.
- State Assemblies: The average representation is significantly lower, at approximately 9%.
- Local Bodies: Over 1.4 million women already serve in Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies due to the 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992), which mandate 33% (or up to 50% in some states) reservation at the grassroots level.
Arguments and Challenges
- For the Bill:
- Addresses historical underrepresentation and patriarchal political structures.
- Ensures a focus on gender-specific issues like maternal health, safety, and economic empowerment.
- Against/Concerns:
- OBC Quota: The bill currently lacks a sub-quota for women from Other Backward Classes (OBC), a major point of contention for opposition parties.
- Rajya Sabha: The reservation does not apply to the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) or State Legislative Councils.
- Tokenism: Critics fear "Sarpanch-Pati" syndrome, where male relatives might wield power behind female representatives.
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