Centre Brings 2023 Women's Reservation Law Into Force Amidst New Legislative Proposals

The Central Government has brought the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, into force effective April 16, 2026.

The law mandates 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. While the Act received presidential assent in 2023, its implementation was deferred pending a notification.

This move coincides with the introduction of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which seeks to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850 and delink the reservation from the post-census delimitation requirement.

By modifying these conditions, the government aims to enable the immediate implementation of the quota following a fresh delimitation exercise. The Parliament continues to debate these amendments.