Parliament’s historic law, an extended wait for women

Source: The post “Parliament’s historic law, an extended wait for women” has been created, based on “Parliament’s historic law, an extended wait for women” published in “The Hindu” on  23rd February 2026.

UPSC Syllabus: GS Paper-2- Governance

Context: The passage of the Women’s Reservation Act in 2023 was hailed as a historic step towards gender justice in India. The Act promises 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. However, linking its implementation to Census and delimitation has created serious concerns about delay and effectiveness.

Key Features of the Women’s Reservation Act

1. The Act reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.
2. It includes sub-reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women.
3. It mandates rotation of reserved constituencies after every general election.
4. It makes implementation conditional upon the first Census after 2026 and subsequent delimitation.

Why the Implementation May Be Delayed

1. Census Requirement: The Act requires a national Census before reservation begins. Since the next Census is expected after 2026, implementation cannot start before data publication.
2. Delimitation Exercise: After the Census, a Delimitation Commission must redraw constituencies under Article 82. Past delimitation exercises have taken 3–6 years, making implementation before 2034 unlikely.
3. Legal and Logistical Constraints: Redrawing 543 Lok Sabha and thousands of Assembly constituencies is complex. It must balance population, geography, SC/ST reservations, and now women’s quotas.
4. Political Calculations: Immediate reservation would displace many male incumbents. Linking reservation to delimitation allows expansion of seats instead of replacement, reducing political resistance.

Major Concerns with the Act

1. Representation Delayed: Women may not benefit from reservation until 2034 or later, defeating the purpose of timely gender justice.
2. Link with North–South Seat Debate: Delimitation may change seat distribution among States, reviving federal tensions about population growth and representation.
3. Exclusion of Upper Houses: The Act does not cover the Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils, limiting its scope.
4. No OBC Sub-Reservation: Other Backward Class women are not given separate quotas, despite their large population share.
5. Unclear Rotation Mechanism: The Act does not clearly explain how constituency rotation will work, creating administrative and political confusion.

Importance of Women’s Political Representation

1. Women’s representation improves policymaking on health, education, and welfare.
2. It strengthens inclusive democracy and gender equality.
3. Local government reservations in India have already shown positive governance outcomes.
4. Greater participation empowers marginalised communities.

Way Forward

1. Amend the Constitution for Immediate Implementation: Parliament can delink reservation from delimitation through another constitutional amendment.
2. Temporary Expansion of Lok Sabha: Seats could be increased to accommodate women’s reservation without displacing existing members.
3. Clear Implementation Roadmap: The government should publish a timeline for Census, delimitation, and reservation rollout.
4. Extend Reservation to Upper Houses: Reservation should also cover the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Councils for complete representation.
5. Provide OBC Sub-Reservation: Including OBC women will ensure broader social justice.
6. Define Rotation Rules Clearly: Transparent rules must be created in consultation with experts and women’s organisations.

Conclusion: The Women’s Reservation Act is a landmark constitutional promise, but its linkage with Census and delimitation risks delaying justice to half of India’s population. True empowerment requires immediate and sincere implementation. As rightly emphasised by S. Y. Quraishi, representation delayed is representation denied. India must now convert its historic legislation into real political empowerment for women.

Question: Discuss the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 and the concerns regarding its delayed implementation. Suggest the way forward.

Source: The Hindu