Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, also known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, is a landmark act passed by the Parliament of India to reserve one-third (33%) of the total number of seats in Lok Sabha (the Lower House of Parliament), State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Assembly for women .
Key Highlights:
- Reservation of Seats: The core provision of the Adhiniyam is to reserve 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and Delhi Assembly . This is intended to enhance women’s representation and leadership in politics .
- Constitutional Amendment: The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 .
- Duration of Reservation: The reservation of seats for women will be in effect for 15 years from the date of the Act coming into force . After this period, Parliament can decide whether to extend it .
- Reservation for SC/ST Women: Within the seats reserved for women, preference will be given to women belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) .
- Rotation of Seats: Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each delimitation exercise to ensure that different constituencies get the opportunity to be represented by women over time .
- Implementation Timeline: The reservation will come into effect after a delimitation exercise is undertaken following the first census conducted after 2026 . This means the reservation is unlikely to be implemented for the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024 and may be implemented by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections .
- Increase in Women Members: Once implemented, the number of women members in the Lok Sabha is expected to rise from the current 82 to 181 .
- Historical Significance: The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is the first bill to be tabled in the new Parliament building .
- Government Celebrations: The government celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8 with the theme “Viksit Bharat with Nari Shakti” .
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam aims to empower women by increasing their representation in legislative bodies, thereby promoting gender equality and women-led development .
