The implementation of the Women Reservation Act 2023, granting a 33% quota to women in legislatures, went into effect following a notification from the Union Law Ministry. It remains unclear why the act was enforced as of April 16, amidst ongoing discussions in Parliament regarding the amendment of the same law for application in 2029.
An official mentioned “technicalities” as the reason for the immediate enforcement of the law, without providing further details. Despite the act being activated, the official explained that the reservation cannot be put into practice in the current House. The reservation for women can only be actualized after conducting a delimitation exercise based on the upcoming census.
The official notification stated, “On April 16, 2026, the Central Government appoints the date on which the provisions of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 shall be enforced.” In September 2023, Parliament passed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, also known as the Women’s Reservation Act, aiming to enhance women’s representation in legislative bodies.
The act mandated one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state legislative Assemblies to be reserved for women. Enforceable only after 2034, as linked to the completion of the delimitation exercise post the 2027 Census, the 2023 law set the timeline for implementation. The government introduced three bills in Lok Sabha to facilitate the implementation of the women’s quota by 2029.