The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023, reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

  • It aims to boost women’s political participation amid India’s patriarchal landscape.
  • Known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, it builds on the 73rd and 74th Amendments‘ success in local bodies.

Key Provision

  • Articles Amended: Article 239AA of the Constitution was amended to reserve one-third of seats for women in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
  • Articles Inserted: Three new articles were inserted into the Constitution:
    • Article 330A: Reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, including seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
    • Article 332A: Reserves one-third of seats for women in the State Assemblies, including seats reserved for SCs and STs.
    • Article 334A: Specifies that the Act shall come into effect after the next delimitation of constituencies, has a 15-year sunset clause, and allows for extension and periodic rotation of seats by law.

Source: The Hindu