Three Bills Introduced To Implement Reservation
The central government presented three major amendment bills related to women’s reservation on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Moreover, these proposals aim to fully implement the 2023 law called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Under these proposals, women will receive 33 percent reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Furthermore, the government plans to implement this system starting from the year 2029.
Plan Includes Expansion Of Lok Sabha Seats
Additionally, the government has proposed increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850. Therefore, this structural change forms a key part of implementing the reservation policy effectively.
According to the proposal, states could receive 815 seats in total. Meanwhile, Union Territories could get 35 seats under the revised structure.
Constitution Amendment Bill Takes Central Role
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 plays the most crucial role among these proposals. Moreover, it aims to modify certain constitutional provisions to define population data clearly.
It also focuses on enabling women’s reservation based on updated population figures. Furthermore, the bill proposes changes to Article 81 of the Constitution.
Additionally, it seeks to increase parliamentary strength considering population growth. Along with this, it introduces delimitation for seat allocation across regions.
UT Amendment Bill Targets Local Assemblies
The Union Territories Laws Amendment Bill, 2026 focuses on local legislative assemblies. It aims to provide 33 percent reservation for women in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry assemblies.
Moreover, it includes provisions for revising seat allocation within these territories.
Delimitation Bill Sets Framework For Seat Allocation
The Delimitation Bill, 2026 proposes forming a commission in each state. This commission will determine seat distribution after consulting all political parties.
The government stated that no change in Lok Sabha seats has occurred since 1976. Therefore, delimitation has now become necessary according to current needs.
Additionally, the process will rely on the last census conducted in 2011.
