Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: Women’s Reservation Act 2023
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Amendment Act) is an important legislation passed in 2023 that reserves 33% of seats in Lok sabha, State Legislative Assemblies and Delhi assembly for women.
Gajendra Singh Godara
6
mins read
Key highlights:
Definition: Legislation reserving 33% (⅓) seats for women in Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies and Delhi Assembly.
Enacted: September 2023
Key Provisions: Article 330A, Article 332A, Article 239AA
Proposed changes: Delink 2026 Census, Increase Lok Sabha seats, SC/ST quota
Significance: Women Empowerment, Political Inclusivity, Structural Representation, Global Significance
Challenges: Outdated Census, North-South Divide, Proxy Representation, Lack of OBC sub-quota, Rotation Mechanism, Less Deliberation
Way forward: Update Data, Fair Delimitation, OBC Representation, Training Female MPs, Rajya Sabha Reservation
Key amendments to the Women’s reservation law (Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyam) will be discussed in a three day long special session of Parliament from 16 April -18 April, 2026.
The government is planning to fast-track the implementation of Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyam by delinking the quota from future Census and delimitation.
This will allow the women reservation quota to be in effect for 2029 Lok sabha and assembly elections.
Another significant proposal is to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats
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The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is officially called the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023. It is a landmark legislation that aims to bridge the gender gap in political representation and provide women a voice in the legal processes.
Key provisions of the Women’s Reservation Act
The Act provides 33% of reservation for women in the Lok sabha, state legislative assemblies and Delhi Assembly. It was enacted in 2023 through the 106th Constitutional Amendment.
Article 330A: Provides reservation for women in the Lok Sabha.
Article 332A: reservation for women in every State Legislative Assembly.
Article 239AA: reservation for women in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. (specifically added clauses 239AA(2)(b) and others)
Sub-reservation: Within the 33% quota, seats are further reserved for women belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Sunset Clause: The reservation is initially provided for a period of 15 years, which can be extended by Parliament.
Rotation: Reserved seats will be rotated after every subsequent delimitation exercise.
The Indian government is now planning to amend the 2023 Act to enable faster implementation. This requires delinking the implementation for the ongoing 2026 Census.
A draft amendment bill has been cleared in the Union Cabinet which proposes increasing the seats in Lok Sabha from 543 to 816, with 273 seats being reserved for women.
The reservation will follow a vertical model- meaning seats reserved for SC/ST women within the quota.
The redrawing of constituencies will happen according to 2011 census data, so that the reservation can be rolled out in time for the 2029 elections.
Under the original framework, implementation of the reservation was dependent on delimitation after the 2026 Census. The 2026 Census was delayed, so the rollout of quotas would have taken till 2034 to be implemented. The new amendments will allow the women’s reservation to be in place for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
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There are many arguments in favour of this act, focusing on gender equality in the political sphere:
Women Empowerment: Moving forward from the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” initiative, this new act will focus on a higher phase of female empowerment that allows women to partake in major legal and political decisions.
Inclusive decision-making: Research suggests that women bring a unique perspective to the table by focusing on issues like health, sanitation, education and policies that uplift women. This would ensure a holistic approach to decision making.
Electoral consolidation: Women’s representation in politics will encourage women to come forth and vote in elections, transitioning from a “silent” voting bloc to a more decisive and participatory role.
Historic Underrepresentation: Despite high voter turnout , women have been drastically underrepresented in national and state legislatures. Roughly 13% of seats in Lok Sabha and 13-17% in Rajya Sabha were held by women in 2024. Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Act will help correct this by enabling women to have more representation in legal bodies.
Global Alignment: The Act aligns India with the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.5, which calls for women’s full and effective participation in politics.
As the changes have been proposed to the 2023 Act, there are many new challenges and issues that have come up:
Census debate: Critics argue that using 2011 census data , which is 15 years old, ignores demographic shifts, urbanization, and migration patterns. It might lead to issues in representation
Seats expansion: Increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats will lead to individual MPs getting very little time to speak and put forward their points.
North-south divide: A population based approach to increase in seats will favour Northern states more than Southern states. It might diminish the political influence of South Indian representatives in overall decision-making.
OBC quota: While SC/ST women have reserved seats within the 33% quota, Other Backward Classes (OBC) women do not. Without an OBC sub-quota, this act will not bring an intersectional change.
Proxy Representation: There is a phenomenon of “Sarpanch-pati” (Husband of the head) where the women hold the official position but the male relatives (like husband) exercise real power. Critics fear that since it exists on a local level, it might spread to the national level.
Rotation mechanism: There is no clarity on the mechanism of rotating seats. Frequent rotation might cause MPs to not focus on development, while lack of rotation may lead to stronghold on certain seats.
Lack of deliberation: Critics have argued that such a monumental change in electoral structure requires public as well as parliamentary debate.
The proper implementation of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and the proposed changes requires balancing the speed of rollout with structural changes and intersectional outlook.
New Census data: Use of the 2026 Census data instead of 2011 data will prevent misrepresentation and create a more accurate picture of the society.
Fair Delimitation: The government should ensure that the representation of Southern states is not impacted by reconsidering allocating seats based purely on population count.
Representation of OBC: The government should use the 2026 Census to evaluate the demands for OBC sub-quota objectively.
Training: Government should also invest in training first-time female MPs on parliamentary and political procedures to combat proxy representation.
Upper House Representation: In the long term, the reservation should also be extended to Rajya Sabha and State legislative councils to ensure women have a say in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha decisions both.
Frequently asked question (FAQs)
What is Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam bill?
Has the women's reservation bill been passed?
Why is the women's reservation bill needed?
What are the proposed changes in the Women's reservation act?
Why is Lok Sabha seat expansion proposed ?
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam should not be viewed as the final step in women empowerment, but a stepping stone. Reservation of women’s seats marks a significant milestone in the Indian electoral system, but affirmative action should also be backed by a change in mindset and culture towards the role of women in the political sphere. The implementation of the Act should also be in a balanced and well-thought out way that benefits women from all walks of life equally.
Research methodology
PadhAI's research methodology ensures every article is accurate, UPSC-ready, and beginner-friendly. We curate current affairs analysis based on UPSC exam relevance by cross-referencing The Hindu, Indian Express, and PIB. General Studies (GS) topics are drafted from NCERTs and standard books such as M. Laxmikanth, Spectrum, and GC Leong, then reviewed by subject matter experts to eliminate factual errors. Additionally, we update aspirants with verified government exam notifications alongside expert blogs suggesting the best resources, syllabus, and comprehensive Prelims and Mains strategies.
Gajendra Singh Godara is an IIT Bombay graduate and a UPSC aspirant with 4 attempts, including multiple Prelims and Mains appearances. He specializes in Polity, Modern History, International Relations, and Economy. At PadhAI, Gajendra leverages his firsthand exam experience to simplify complex concepts, creating high-efficiency study materials that help aspirants save time and stay focused.
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