Centre Plans Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Amendment Based on 2011 Census Before April 2

The Centre is preparing to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to enable its implementation ahead of the 2029 general elections, with sources indicating that the proposal could be tabled during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament. The move signals a renewed push to operationalise women’s reservation in legislatures.

According to officials, the government is also considering expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha from the current 543 seats to around 816. Under this proposed framework, nearly 273 seats would be reserved for women, in line with the 33% quota mandated under the law.

The legislation, enacted through the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, provides for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and the Delhi Assembly. However, its implementation has been tied to the completion of a fresh Census and a subsequent delimitation exercise—both of which are yet to take place.

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To address this delay, the government is exploring the option of using the 2011 Census as the basis for delimitation, thereby accelerating the rollout of reservations. This would require amending provisions of the Act that currently mandate a post-Census delimitation before implementation.

Any such amendment would need to be passed under Article 368 of the Constitution, requiring a majority of the total membership in both Houses of Parliament and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. The Centre has reportedly begun consultations with opposition parties to build consensus around the proposal.

Meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, urging the government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the roadmap for implementing the Act.

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