Page 34 - NIS ENGLISH 1-15 May, 2026

Women’s Reservation

Answers to All Your Questions

Which bills did the Central Government introduce in
the Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026?
Q
On April 16, 2026, the Central Government introduced
three major bills in the Lok Sabha:
A
n The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026
n Delimitation Bill, 2026
n The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Why were these three bills introduced by the If these three bills had been passed
Q Central Government at this particular time? Q by the House, what benefits would the
country have derived?
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam stipulates
A that reservation for women is to be ensured A Had these three bills been passed by
based on the delimitation exercise conducted the House, they would have become
following the census that takes place after 2026. laws following the President’s assent.
Had the Central Government waited for the Consequently, the women of the country
2026 census—and the subsequent delimitation could have availed the benefit of 33
based on it—women would not have been able percent reservation as early as the 2029
to avail the benefit of 33 percent reservation Lok Sabha elections, thereby realizing a
even in the 2029 general elections. Therefore, right for which they had long been waiting.
to extend these benefits to half of the country’s
population as expeditiously as possible, it Q Was the Central Government seeking
was deemed necessary to delink this process to gain political mileage by amending
from the delimitation exercise scheduled to be the Delimitation Commission Act? Why
conducted based on the 2026 census. did the government introduce this bill
while elections were underway in certain
Why was the issue of delimitation states? Would this have any impact on
Q introduced alongside the Nari Shakti the ongoing elections in states like Tamil
Vandan Adhiniyam? Why was the Nadu or West Bengal?
government proposing such a significant The Central Government did not make any
increase in the number of seats? A
amendments to the Delimitation Commission
Delimitation refers to the alteration of the Act; rather, it retained the existing law in its
A boundaries of an electoral constituency. original form. The recommendations of the
Delimitation is essential for the effective Delimitation Commission would have come
implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan into effect only after receiving parliamentary
Adhiniyam. In 1976, the number of seats in the approval and the President’s assent. This
Lok Sabha was fixed at 550. In 1971, India’s process would have had no bearing on the
population stood at approximately 54 crores; elections currently underway, such as those in
today, it has reached 140 crores. Therefore, it is Tamil Nadu or West Bengal, as all elections
crucial to increase the number of seats in the until 2029 are slated to be conducted based on
Lok Sabha to 850. This would ensure adequate the existing framework and boundaries.
representation in Parliament.

32 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || May 01-15, 2026