The Women's Reservation Act: One-third seats, delimitation and the timeline
The Women's Reservation Act is a standing exam topic because it is simultaneously enacted and not yet operational. The exam tests exactly that gap.
The Act in brief
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, the 106th Constitutional Amendment, reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha, the state legislative assemblies and the Delhi Assembly for women, for fifteen years with extension possible. Seats are reserved by rotation, as with SC/ST reservations.
Source: PRS: analysis of the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill
The two preconditions
| Precondition | Status |
|---|---|
| Delimitation of constituencies | Pending; the freeze runs on the 1971 census basis |
| Census | The Act takes effect after the first census following commencement |
Why delimitation is the trigger
The delimitation freeze is the Act's hinge.
The 42nd Amendment froze constituency counts on the 1971 census.
The 84th Amendment extended the freeze to 2026.
The next delimitation, whenever it is undertaken, reshapes seats between states and precedes the quota's operation. The Act explicitly ties commencement to a delimitation exercise based on the first census after the Act.
The legislative history
The Act is the fifth attempt.
1996, 1998, 1999. The bills lapsed with their Lok Sabhas.
2008. The bill passed the Rajya Sabha but never reached the Lok Sabha.
2023. Near-unanimous passage, the first version to clear both Houses. That itself is an exam fact.
Prelims traps
| Statement | True or False |
|---|---|
| "The quota is one-third of seats for fifteen years" | True |
| "The Act covers the Rajya Sabha" | False. Lok Sabha, assemblies and Delhi Assembly |
| "Commencement requires delimitation after a census" | True |
| "The 42nd Amendment froze seats on the 1971 census" | True |
Part of: Constitutional and Parliamentary Developments
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Source: PRS Legislative Research; Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice.