- Why in news
- On 13 April 2026, PM Modi addressed the Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan in Vigyan Bhawan and said a special session of Parliament's Budget Session begins on 16 April to implement the women's reservation law on time.
- What it is
- The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 is the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act. It reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. It adds Articles 330A, 332A and 334A, and ties the reservation to the first census and delimitation held after the Act commenced.
- Special session
- The PM said a special session of Parliament's Budget Session will begin on 16 April to take the implementation forward.
- Passage in 2023
- The Act was passed in the new Parliament building in 2023, unanimously, with all parties agreeing it should be implemented by 2029 in any case.
- Panchayat women
- The PM cited over 14 lakh women working in local government bodies as the base for the move from panchayat to Parliament.
- Constitutional basis
- The Act is the 106th Constitution Amendment. It inserts Articles 330A (Lok Sabha), 332A (State Assemblies) and 334A (commencement and timing of reservation).
- Trigger for effect
- The reservation takes effect after the first census and delimitation following the Act's commencement. It lasts 15 years from commencement, subject to extension by Parliament.
- Reservation share
- One-third of seats are reserved for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
- Year of passage
- Parliament passed the Act in September 2023.
- Constitutional status
- It is the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023.
- New Articles
- It inserted Articles 330A (Lok Sabha), 332A (State Assemblies) and 334A (start and duration of reservation).
- Commencement condition
- Reservation takes effect after delimitation based on the first census held after the Act commenced. It lasts 15 years, extendable by Parliament.
Don’t confuse with Article 243D vs Articles 330A/332A: Article 243D reserves one-third of panchayat seats for women. Articles 330A and 332A reserve seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
Don’t confuse with 106th vs 73rd Amendment: The 73rd Amendment (1992) created Panchayati Raj with women's reservation locally. The 106th (2023) covers Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
Don’t confuse with Lok Sabha/Assemblies vs Panchayats: The 2023 Act covers the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Women's reservation in Panchayats comes from the 73rd Amendment (Article 243D), and in Municipalities from the 74th (Article 243T).
Don’t confuse with Rajya Sabha: The Act does not reserve seats in the Rajya Sabha or State Legislative Councils.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Raises women's share in law-making bodies, which is low in the Lok Sabha.
- Builds on women's experience in panchayats and moves them to higher offices.
- Raises women's share in lawmaking bodies, which is low in the Lok Sabha.
- Extends to the national and state level the representation women already have in local bodies.
Problems
- Reservation depends on a fresh census and delimitation, so its start date is uncertain.
- Rotation of reserved seats may weaken incentives for sitting members to nurse a constituency.
- Reservation is tied to census and delimitation, so its start is delayed.
- Risk of 'sarpanch-pati' style proxy representation.
Way forward
- Complete census and delimitation on a clear timeline built through all-party consensus.
- Support women candidates through party tickets, training and funding.
- Complete the census and delimitation quickly and transparently.
- Back reservation with training, party tickets and capacity building for women leaders.
Put in your answer
Panchayat women's leadership: Over 14 lakh women in local bodies show a pool of experienced women leaders.
Jal Jeevan Mission: The PM cited it as an example where women's participation at panchayat level improved delivery.
Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023: Reserves one-third of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats for women, via Articles 330A and 332A.
Panchayat precedent: Women's reservation in Panchayats under Article 243D is an example of reservation working at the local level.
- 2026Mains GS2 · Q2Evolution of women's reservation from local bodies to Parliament.
- 2023Mains GS2 · Q14Civil society's contribution to women's representation in state legislatures.
- 2019Mains GS2 · Q13Impact of women's local body reservation on patriarchal politics.
- 1997Prelims Q58Whether 33% women's seat reservation needs constitutional amendment; assertion-reason.
- 2024Prelims Q81Which statements on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam are correct?
- 2006Prelims Q23What the 104th Constitution Amendment Bill related to
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting law on file; Parliament discussion on implementation from 16 April. The release is a speech with no provisions to test, so no question yet.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.