Women’s Quota By 2029: Centre Moves To Fast-Track Reservation, Eyes 273 Seats In Expanded Lok Sabha

Last Updated:March 23, 2026, 3:18 PM IST

Sources said the government is keen to bring the amended legislation in the ongoing Parliament session & has already begun consultations with opposition parties to build consensus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with women MPs after the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (women’s reservation bill) by the Rajya Sabha in 2023. (PTI)

The Centre is preparing to introduce key amendments to the women’s reservation law to ensure its implementation ahead of the 2029 general elections, with a significant expansion of Lok Sabha seats also under consideration, sources said.

According to government sources, the proposed changes to the Nari Shakti Abhinandan Adhiniyam, passed by Parliament in 2023, are aimed at operationalising the long-pending provision for reserving one-third of seats for women.

A crucial part of the plan involves linking the implementation to a fresh delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Officials indicated that this could see the strength of the Lok Sabha rise from the current 543 seats to around 816 seats.

Of these, nearly 273 seats could be reserved for women, in line with the one-third quota envisaged under the law.

Sources said the government is keen to bring the amended legislation in the ongoing session of Parliament and has already begun consultations with opposition parties to build consensus. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is learnt to have briefed several opposition leaders on the proposed roadmap.

The delimitation process itself will require amendments to existing laws, including the Delimitation Act, to enable a revision of constituencies based on updated population data.

Officials said the allocation of reserved seats is likely to be done through a draw of lots, a mechanism intended to ensure rotation and fairness. However, certain smaller states, including Sikkim, may not see changes under the proposed framework.

The push gained momentum after a recent meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need to work towards implementing women’s reservation by 2029.

While the original law envisaged implementation after the next census and delimitation exercise, the fresh amendments are aimed at advancing the timeline and providing clarity on execution.

If carried through, the move would mark one of the most significant structural changes to India’s parliamentary system in decades, expanding representation while ensuring greater participation of women in national politics.

Read More