A notification issued by the Ministry of Law states that the provisions of the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, will come into effect on April 16, 2026. However, it does not clarify why the notification to implement it from April 16 was issued amidst ongoing debates on this issue in Parliament.
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Women’s Reservation Act, 2023: A heated debate regarding the Women’s Reservation and Delimitation Bills continued late into the night in the country’s Parliament. Voting on the Women’s Reservation Bill is also scheduled to take place this evening at 4:00 PM. Meanwhile, the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023—which grants 33 percent reservation to women in Parliament—came into force on Thursday. The Union Ministry of Law has issued a notification to this effect.
However, it remains unclear why the notification to implement the Act effective April 16 was issued precisely while a debate on amendments to this very legislation was underway in Parliament. According to the news agency PTI, an official attributed this move to “technical reasons,” without elaborating further.
Despite the Act having come into force, women will not immediately reap its benefits in the current Lok Sabha. According to the official, the reservation for women will be implemented only after the completion of the delimitation process, which is to be conducted based on the next census.
One-Third of Seats Reserved for Women
A notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law states that the provisions of the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, will come into effect on April 16, 2026. In September 2023, Parliament passed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,’ also known as the Women’s Reservation Act.
Under this Act, there is a provision to reserve one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women. It was explicitly clarified that this reservation could not be implemented until the completion of the delimitation exercise following the 2027 census. The three bills currently under discussion in the Lok Sabha aim to implement this reservation starting from 2029.
‘The Government Does Not Seek to Take Credit’
Earlier, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that voting on the Women’s Reservation Bill would take place in the House on Friday at 4:00 PM. Addressing the ongoing parliamentary discussions regarding women’s reservation and delimitation, Rijiju noted that Prime Minister Modi has appealed to everyone to support the measure. Consequently, there remains no room for any confusion on this matter.
Home Minister Amit Shah has also dispelled apprehensions circulating in South India by presenting relevant statistics. Despite this, if anyone continues to oppose the bill, they are merely playing politics over the issue. Ensuring 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies is a collective responsibility, and the government does not seek to claim sole credit for it.
Questioning the claims made by the Opposition, Rijiju asserted that the government has engaged in consultations with leaders from all political parties. Letters were sent to Congress President Kharge on three separate occasions, while leaders from the TMC, DMK, and SP were met with personally to solicit their support.
PM Modi Speaks on Women’s Reservation
A spirited debate took place in Parliament regarding the Women’s Reservation and Delimitation Bill. In his speech, holding up a mirror to the Opposition, PM Modi stated, “Whoever has opposed this right granted to women in elections has met with a dismal fate. I have come here to make an appeal: do not weigh this issue on the scales of politics. Today’s occasion is an opportunity—one to sit together, to think in a unified direction, and to wholeheartedly embrace the mission of building a ‘Developed India.’ The entire nation—and particularly our ‘Nari Shakti’ (women’s power)—will certainly observe our decisions; however, even more importantly, they will scrutinize our intentions. Therefore, the women of this nation will never forgive any insincerity or ulterior motive in our intentions.”
Priyanka Gandhi Corners the Government
Meanwhile, taking on the Central Government, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi remarked, “I have read the draft of this Women’s Reservation Bill. Firstly, it states that women’s reservation is to be implemented by 2029; we agree with this. Secondly, it proposes that the total number of seats be increased to 850. To facilitate this, a Delimitation Commission is to be constituted, which will base its work on the 2011 Census. If one delves deeper into this, it reeks of political maneuvering. The 2023 version of this Bill contained two specific provisions that are conspicuously absent from the current version. The earlier draft explicitly stated that a fresh census would be conducted.”
Priyanka added, “They claim that they do not seek any credit for this initiative. However, women are astute enough to recognize men who repeatedly attempt to mislead them. Be warned—otherwise, you will be exposed. When the Modi government passed this Bill in 2023, we extended our full support to it. Even today, there should be absolutely no doubt that the Congress party stands firmly in support of this measure. We stand resolute.”
