India Moves Towards Women’s Reservation in Parliament

The Indian government is pushing forward with significant legislative steps to ensure women’s representation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Sources indicate a readiness to introduce two bills in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament, seeking to implement a 33% reservation for women before the upcoming delimitation exercise.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted separate meetings with leaders from NDA and several opposition parties, including YSRCP, SP, NCP-SP, RJD, and AIMIM, to forge a consensus. The potential passing of these bills could happen as early as this week if agreements are reached. Shah is also expected to engage with Congress leaders shortly.

The initiative involves a constitutional amendment and an ordinary bill impacting the Delimitation Act. If passed, the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act will activate on March 31, 2029, aligning the reservation enforcement with the subsequent Lok Sabha elections and state elections across specific regions. A neutral delimitation commission will play a key role, while the Election Commission's capabilities remain restricted to regional delimitations.