Parliament set to advance women’s quota rollout to 2029, says Modi

New Delhi: Narendra Modi on Monday said Parliament is on the verge of making “new history” as it prepares to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to enable its implementation by 2029.

Speaking at the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’ ahead of a special three-day Parliament session, Modi said the move would fulfil long-standing aspirations and advance the goal of a more equal and just society.

He noted that the law, passed unanimously in 2023, had widespread support, including from opposition parties, for its implementation by 2029. The upcoming session from April 16 to 18 is expected to take up amendments required to operationalise the quota earlier than originally planned.

The Act provides for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, under existing provisions, its rollout was linked to the delimitation exercise after the 2027 Census, delaying implementation until around 2034.

The proposed amendments aim to advance the timeline, allowing the reservation to come into effect from the 2029 general elections. Once implemented, the number of Lok Sabha seats is expected to rise to 816, with 273 reserved for women.