New Delhi: The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has moved ahead to approve key amendments to existing laws to implement the long-pending 33% reservation for women by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
As part of the plan, two bills are expected to be cleared. The first proposes amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023. Under the current law, one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies can only be implemented after the completion of delimitation based on the 2026 Census.
The second bill seeks changes to the 84th Constitutional Amendment, which currently freezes the delimitation exercise until 2026. The government will need to lift this freeze to begin the delimitation process earlier.
The Centre is also planning to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 50%, with women’s reservation to be implemented based on the expanded strength of these Houses.
The women’s reservation proposal has remained pending since the 1990s. In 2023, it became the first legislation to be passed unanimously by Parliament in the new Parliament building.
