Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently referenced past unsuccessful attempts to enact the Women's Reservation Bill, stating that it "didn't succeed despite our best efforts." Speaking at an event on May 14, 2024, the Prime Minister acknowledged the historical difficulties in securing legislative approval for the crucial bill, which aims to reserve one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. He contrasted these earlier setbacks with his government's successful passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in September 2023.

During his address, Prime Minister Modi pointed to the previous failures of the bill, attributing the lack of progress to specific opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and Trinamool Congress. He highlighted that despite long-standing efforts, the proposed legislation had encountered significant political hurdles over several decades. The Women's Reservation Bill, formally known as the 108th Constitution Amendment Bill, was initially introduced in 1996 and subsequently failed to pass in multiple parliamentary sessions due to a lack of political consensus and support.

Prime Minister Modi underscored that under his administration, the long-pending legislation found renewed momentum. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the latest iteration of the Women's Reservation Bill, was successfully passed by both houses of Parliament in September 2023. This landmark legislation received overwhelming support, with the Lok Sabha passing it on September 20, 2023, and the Rajya Sabha clearing it on September 21, 2023. Upon receiving presidential assent, it became law. The Act mandates that 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Delhi legislative assembly will be reserved for women.

Key aspects of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam include:

  • Constitutional Amendment: It is the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which became the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act after ratification.
  • Duration: The reservation is initially set for a period of 15 years and can be extended by Parliament.
  • Implementation Condition: The provisions of the Act will come into effect only after a delimitation exercise is conducted based on the first census taken after the commencement of the Act.
  • Rotation of Reserved Seats: The reserved seats for women will be rotated after each delimitation exercise.

While the Women's Reservation Bill has now been officially enacted, its practical implementation remains contingent on future demographic and administrative processes. The requirement for a new census and subsequent delimitation means that the reservations for women in legislative bodies are unlikely to take effect before the 2029 general elections. This timeline continues to be a subject of political discussion, as stakeholders anticipate the eventual impact of the legislation on women's representation in Indian politics.