New Delhi: Discussion for the second day continued in the Lok Sabha on three amendment bills related to implementing women’s reservation and delimitation of seats.
Meanwhile, the Centre has notified the ‘Women’s Reservation Act, 2023’—also known as the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’—granting 33% reservation to women in Parliament. As per the notification, the law came into effect on April 16, 2026, though it was passed during a special session in September 2023.
The notification means that even if the three pending amendment bills are not passed, women will get 33% reservation within the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats. However, the reservation will only be implemented after delimitation based on the 2026–27 Census, effectively pushing its rollout to 2034.
The government is now seeking amendments to advance implementation to the 2029 general elections. Voting on the bills is expected later in the day.
Opposition parties have questioned the timing of the notification, asking why the law was brought into force while Parliament is still debating related amendments. The government, however, clarified that it has the authority to decide the date of implementation.
