A PTI report highlights that the government is unlikely to present a Constitution Amendment Bill to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — the women’s reservation law — in the near future. As of the evening of March 24, there was also no proposal on the table to submit the draft bill to the Union Cabinet, which is set to meet today.
“There is a requirement for further consultations with all political parties before finalizing the agenda for amending the women’s reservation law,” PTI quoted a source.
On March 23, Union Home Minister Amit Shah engaged in discussions with some NDA allies and selected non-Congress opposition floor leaders. However, talks with the Congress and the Trinamool Congress have yet to occur.
With indications of an early adjournment, sources suggested that Parliament might conclude its proceedings before the planned end date of April 2. However, prorogation is not anticipated, allowing the government to reconvene it later.
The government is reportedly considering reconvening the session after the assembly elections in five states, the results of which will be published on May 4. So far, there has been no official confirmation regarding this.
The provision for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was enacted via a constitutional amendment in 2023 but will only take effect after the delimitation exercise is completed.
According to current proposals, the Lok Sabha’s total seats would increase from 543 to 816, with 273 designated for women. This reservation will also extend to quotas for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The delimitation exercise is anticipated to be based on the 2011 Census. A similar process is expected for state assemblies, with seats reserved on a pro-rata basis.
The proposed amendments necessitate both a Constitution amendment to modify the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and a separate law to revise the Delimitation Act. If approved, these new provisions are projected to take effect by March 31, 2029, allowing for their implementation in the upcoming Lok Sabha and certain state assembly elections.
President Droupadi Murmu had given her assent to the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act — the Nari Shakti Vandan law — in September 2023.
