India to Amend Women's Act for 33% Quota by 2029

The Indian government is preparing to introduce amendments to the Women's Reservation Act of 2023 during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament, aiming to implement a 33 percent quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies ahead of the 2029 general elections. The proposals, discussed in recent consultations led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, would expand the Lok Sabha from 543 seats to 816, reserving 273 of the new seats for women, based on the 2011 Census data to bypass delays in the upcoming census and delimitation process.

Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the government plans two key bills: a constitutional amendment to modify the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the formal name of the 2023 law, and an ordinary bill to revise the Delimitation Act. These changes would delink the women's quota from the pending nationwide delimitation exercise, originally scheduled for 2027-28 following the next census. The Budget Session, set to adjourn on April 2, may be extended, or a dedicated two-day special session could be convened within the next fortnight to prioritize the legislation.

The 2023 act, which received presidential assent in September after...