Centre Nearing Finalization of Constitutional Amendment for Women's Reservation

New Delhi: The Centre is understood to have nearly finalised a fresh constitutional amendment to operationalise women's reservation by expanding Lok Sabha and assembly seats, with the proposal having undergone several rounds of deliberations at the top echelons of the government, sources said.

The proposed legislation, which could be introduced as the Constitution (133rd Amendment) Bill, would broadly build on the failed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, but seeks to address concerns surrounding delimitation as it is likely to suggest that the existing inter-state seat ratio, based on the 1971 Census, would remain unchanged. Constituency boundaries within states, however, could be redrawn on the basis of the 2011 Census.

Sources said the draft is largely ready and may seek amendments to Articles 55, 81, 82, 170, 330, 332 and 334A.

The proposed legislation could also contain a reference to a "uniform 50% increase, as far as practicable and feasible", in the strength of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

To operationalise this, the government is learnt to be considering amendments to the delimitation bill, pending before the Lok Sabha, by incorporating expansion of seats among the principles that would guide the future delimitation commission.

Draft may retain 1971 state-wise seat ratio, use 2011 Census to redraw constituencies, expand SC-ST representation

The increase in seats could also expand representation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Under the present thinking, SC seats in the Lok Sabha may rise from 84 to 136 and ST seats from 47 to 70. Besides increasing the number of reserved seats, the exercise would effectively ensure the full 16% reservation for Scheduled Castes in the House, compared with the present 15.46%.

The women's quota would apply vertically, implying that one-third of the SC and ST reserved seats would also be earmarked for women. Accordingly, nearly one-third of the proposed 136 SC seats and 70 ST seats could be reserved for women.

Sources said the revised architecture is aimed at preserving the 2029 implementation window while addressing apprehensions of states over a possible shift in their relative share of representation. Several meetings, including at the PMO, are learnt to have been held over the contours of the draft.

However, the government is unlikely to move ahead unless it is assured of the numbers required for passage. Like the earlier proposal, the bill would need a two-thirds majority in both Houses and ratification by at least half of the states.

"Everything hinges on the numbers," a source said, indicating that the legislation would be brought only after the government is confident of securing the necessary support.