Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the time has come to implement the Women’s Reservation Act in “its true spirit”, calling for necessary amendments to ensure its rollout ahead of the 2029 general election.
In a letter dated April 11 to leaders of political parties in both Houses of Parliament, ahead of a special sitting from April 16 to 18, Modi urged members to unite in support of the measure, formally known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.
"After extensive deliberations, we have reached the conclusion that the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country.
"It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with women's reservation in place," the Prime Minister said.
The Centre has convened a three-day special session of Parliament to consider amendments to the law, which currently links the implementation of 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies to the completion of the delimitation exercise based on the 2027 Census.
Under the existing provisions, the reservation would not come into effect until after delimitation, potentially delaying its implementation until 2034.
The proposed amendments are aimed at advancing the timeline, enabling the quota to be operational for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The Women's Reservation Act will ensure an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, of which 273 will be reserved for women.
(With inputs from PTI)