Divided House, defeated bill

The government's bid to fast-track women’s reservation hits the delimitation hurdle

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In September 2023, a special session of Parliament enacted the Women’s Reservation Bill with near unanimity: In the Lok Sabha, 454 members voted in its favour while a mere two legislators opposed the bill.

The broad consensus in favour of reserving 33% of seats in Parliament and legislatures for women was a coming-of-age moment for the House and the nation; it was a welcome acceptance of the principle that women, who constitute half the population, should have a greater say in the republic’s highest forum for deliberation and policy-making. It was then decided that the women’s quota would be introduced after the census and delimitation of constituencies, in deference to the process outlined in the Constitution. In effect, this exercise would have been based on the census that started in 2026.