In a push for the women’s reservation bill, the Central government has proposed to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850, according to a copy of the draft exclusively accessed by News18.
This expansion is part of a plan to fast-track the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Reservation Act), ensuring that approximately one-third of the House, or 273 seats, will be reserved for women lawmakers.
The Central government has scheduled a special three-day Parliament session from April 16 to 18 to fast-track the implementation of the women’s reservation bill. A copy of the bill was shared with the MPs on Tuesday.
Under the proposal, 815 seats would go to states and 35 to Union Territories, taking the total strength to 850.
A delimitation commission will be formed to decide the seats that will be allocated for women, News18 reported exclusively. The changes are expected to come into effect from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (officially the Constitution [106th Amendment] Act, 2023) was passed by the Indian Parliament in September 2023. It was introduced on September 19, 2023, in the Lok Sabha during a special session of Parliament. Passed on September 20, 2023, with 454 votes in favor and 2 against. The Rajya Sabha passed it unanimously with 214 votes on September 21, 2023. It was signed into law by President Droupadi Murmu on September 28, 2023.
The provisions
33% Reservation: Reserves one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
Implementation Status: While passed in 2023, the original Act required a fresh Census and delimitation exercise before taking effect.
The session will aim to bypass the legal bottlenecks in the implementation of the bill:
Delinking from Census: The government proposes to delink the reservation from the requirement of a fresh Census and subsequent delimitation. Originally, the law enacted in 2023 would have only come into effect after the next Census (delayed to 2027), potentially pushing the rollout to 2034. The government plans to use 2011 Census data instead of waiting for the results of the delayed 2021 Census, allowing for implementation by the 2029 general elections.
Expansion of seats: A central part of the plan is to increase the total number of Lok Sabha seats (543). Of these, 273 seats would be reserved for women. This expansion allows for the women’s quota without reducing the number of existing seats for current members. Seats for Scheduled Castes are projected to rise from 84 to 126/136, and for Scheduled Tribes from 47 to 70, say reports.
Delimitation: The government plans to introduce a Delimitation Bill, 2026, to redraw constituency boundaries based on 2011 Census data instead of waiting for new population figures. This exercise is intended to address concerns from southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, ensuring they are not “penalised" with fewer seats due to successful population control. Seats are expected to increase on a pro-rata basis to maintain the relative political weight of states and address concerns from southern states regarding population control.
Legislative Path: The move requires two major constitutional amendments requiring a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a national ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’ at Vigyan Bhawan on Monday hailed the move as “one of the most important decisions of the 21st century".
PM Modi, during an event at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament complex to mark Ambedkar Jayanti, on Tuesday urged Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to extend support to the amendment bill set to be introduced in Parliament to implement the Women’s Reservation Bill. He stressed that backing measures aimed at women’s welfare should be seen as a shared responsibility across parties.
PM Modi told Kharge that the bill is being brought in the interest of women and called for collective support. In response, Kharge said the Congress would discuss the proposal internally before taking a position. He indicated that the party would convey its stand after due deliberation on the matter. “This bill is being introduced in the interest of women, and it is our collective responsibility to support it," said PM Modi to Kharge, urging Congress’ support for the Bill.
The Opposition has been questioning the timing and the delay in providing the copy of the bill.
