Parliament: Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 Comes into Force at Midnight Amidst Heated Debate; Government Issues Notification

New Delhi: A vigorous debate regarding the Women’s Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill continued late into the night (until midnight) within the country’s Parliament. Voting on the Women’s Reservation Bill is also scheduled to take place at 4:00 PM today. Meanwhile, the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023—which grants 33 percent reservation to women in Parliament—came into force on Thursday. In this regard, the Union Ministry of Law has issued a formal notification.

However, it remains unclear why the notification to implement the Act effective April 16 was issued precisely while a debate regarding amendments to this very law was underway in Parliament. According to the news agency PTI, an official attributed this move to “technical reasons” without providing further details. Despite the Act coming into force, women will not immediately receive its benefits in the current Lok Sabha. According to the official, the reservation for women will be implemented only after the delimitation process—based on the next census—is completed.

One-Third of Seats Reserved for Women
The notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law states that the provisions of the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, will come into effect from April 16, 2026. In September 2023, Parliament passed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ (Women’s Empowerment Act), which is commonly known as the Women’s Reservation Act.

Under this legislation, 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 within the Act 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 bring this reservation into effect starting from 2029.

‘Government Does Not Seek to Claim Credit’
Earlier, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that the voting on the Women’s Reservation Bill would take place in the House on Friday at 4:00 PM. Addressing the ongoing discussions in Parliament regarding women’s reservation and delimitation, Rijiju stated that Prime Minister Modi has appealed to everyone to support this initiative. Consequently, there is 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 move, they are merely playing politics with this 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 noted 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 personally to solicit their support.

Here is what PM Modi said regarding Women’s Reservation:

A spirited debate took place in Parliament concerning the Women’s Reservation and Delimitation Bill. In his speech, while holding up a mirror to the opposition, PM Modi remarked: “History shows that anyone who has opposed the electoral rights granted to women has met with a poor fate. I stand here to appeal to you: do not weigh this issue on the scales of politics. Today presents an opportunity—one to sit together, think in unison, and, with an open mind, embrace the vision of building a ‘Developed India’ (Viksit Bharat). The entire nation—and particularly our ‘Nari Shakti’ (women’s power)—will certainly observe our decisions; however, more importantly, they will scrutinize our intentions. Therefore, the nation’s women will never forgive any insincerity or ulterior motives in our intentions.”

Priyanka Gandhi Corners the Government

Meanwhile, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi took on the Central Government, stating: “I have read the draft of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Firstly, it stipulates that women’s reservation is to be implemented by 2029—a point with which we agree. 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. However, upon delving deeper into the details, one detects a distinct whiff of politics. The 2023 Bill is missing two key provisions that were present in the earlier version; specifically, the previous draft had mandated that a fresh census be conducted.”

Priyanka further remarked that, despite their claims to the contrary, the government does indeed appear to be seeking credit for this initiative. Women can spot men who repeatedly try to mislead them. Be warned—otherwise, you will get caught. When the Modi government passed this bill in 2023, we supported it. Even today, there should be no doubt that the Congress will stand by its support. We stand firm.