Women’s quota law notified for JK, UTs; GoI advances implementation timeline

New Delhi: The government of India on Friday, April 17, formally notified the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, extending a 33% quota for women in legislatures in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Union Territories.

In a notification concerning Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Act, 2023, April 17, 2026, has been designated as the date from which the provisions of the law will come into effect.

A separate notification was also issued for Union Territories, invoking the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Act, 2023, to bring the provisions into force from the same date.

The decision comes amid ongoing parliamentary discussions on amendments related to the legislation, which was originally passed in 2023.

In September that year, Parliament approved the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, marking a key step toward increasing women’s representation in legislative bodies by reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

However, under the original framework, the quota was not expected to be implemented before 2034, as it was linked to the delimitation exercise scheduled after the 2027 Census.

The government has since introduced three Bills in the Lok Sabha, currently under debate, aimed at advancing the implementation of the women’s reservation to 2029.