33% Women's Reservation In 2029 Lok Sabha Elections? Centre Begins Preps

The Centre is preparing to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha beginning with the 2029 general elections. This move follows the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, a constitutional amendment bill designed to increase women's representation in national politics, sources have said. 

The women's reservation provisions will come into effect only after a fresh delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. Currently, there is a statutory freeze on delimitation until 2026. For any delimitation to proceed thereafter, a constitutional amendment will be necessary, requiring approval by both Houses of Parliament.

According to sources, necessary preparations are underway to ensure the delimitation exercise can be initiated once the freeze is lifted. A Delimitation Commission will be constituted, and it is expected to visit states, collect representations, and prepare a report before recommending any changes.

Southern Concerns

Southern states, which have historically performed better on population control, have expressed concerns that a fresh delimitation based on current population figures could reduce their representation in Parliament. According to government sources, their concerns are being taken seriously.

Officials have stated that the political participation of southern states will not be compromised. Mechanisms are being considered to ensure that representation remains equitable and that states that have succeeded in population control are not disadvantaged in the new seat-sharing formula.

Tech-Driven Census

The next census, originally scheduled for 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now expected to be conducted using advanced technology to expedite the process. 

According to sources, a mobile application that supports data collection in 16 Indian languages will be used in the census, along with the integration of Aadhaar verification. In addition, the census process will incorporate biometric data collection and artificial intelligence tools.