Govt eyes constitutional changes to enforce women’s quota law

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reached out to all the political parties to ensure the smooth passage of the amended Women’s Reservation Act in Parliament later this week for its implementation in the 2029 elections.

Addressing a public rally, the PM recalled that after four decades of waiting, Parliament had passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, guaranteeing 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. He announced that a special discussion has been scheduled in Parliament from April 16 to take this forward.

PM Modi urged political parties to support amendment to the Constitution to ensure the law comes into effect from the 2029 General Election without further delay. The proposed amendments intend to increase the Lok Sabha seats to 850, with 33 per cent reserved for women.

The Centre, meanwhile, shared with MPs draft bills outlining the expansion of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats, a move that would pave the way for implementing the long-pending women’s reservation law alongside a fresh delimitation exercise and constitutional amendments. To redraw constituencies, the bill seeks to take into account the 2011 Census data. The bills seeks to amend Article 81 of the Constitution.

It states that “The House of the People (Lok Sabha) shall consist of not more than 815 members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the States; and not more than 35 members to represent the Union territories, chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law provide.” The expression “population”, according to the bill, means the population as ascertained at such Census of which the relevant figures have been published. As of now figures of 2011 Census are available.

In the draft bill shared by the Government to MPs also plans to bring a Constitution amendment bill, a bill on delimitation law and an enabling bill for Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry — three Union territories with legislature — on Thursday in Lok Sabha to fast track implementation of the women’s reservation Act of 2023.

“The next census and the consequential delimitation exercise thereafter will take considerable time and thus, delay the effective and dedicated participation of women in our democratic polity. Hence, the objective of the proposed bill is to operationalise one-third reservation for women, including women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in the House of the People and the legislative assemblies of the states, the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union territories through delimitation exercise to be undertaken on the basis of the population figures of the latest published census,” says the statement of objects and reasons of the draft Constitution amendment bill.

Asserting that it is the “collective sentiment” of the nation, PM Modi who earlier in the day wrote an open letter to women citing about Women’s reservation said, “This is the wish of every sister and daughter of this country, and we must fulfil it with unanimity.”

The PM asserted that Indian democracy will become stronger and more vibrant if elections to the Lok Sabha and various assemblies in 2029 are held with a women’s quota fully in place.