NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha has commenced debates on three legislative proposals, including a Constitutional amendment Bill aimed at facilitating women’s reservation in the 2029 general elections. On Thursday, the law ministry announced that April 16, 2026, will be the effective date for the provisions of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, commonly referred to as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Government sources indicated that the notification of the 2023 Act’s commencement was deemed a “technical” necessity to pursue further amendments to the constitutional provisions it introduced or altered. Currently, the Lok Sabha is discussing the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes amendments to Articles 330A, 332A, and 334A established by the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth) Amendment Act, 2023.
The 2023 amendment had established that women’s reservation would become effective following the first delimitation based on the census data relevant at that time. However, in light of the government’s concerns that the upcoming Census 2027 and subsequent delimitation process may require significant time, it has introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill to enable delimitation based on the most recent census figures available, specifically Census 2011.
