The Centre is set to introduce a major constitutional amendment bill in Parliament on Thursday (April 16), proposing to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from the current 543 seats to around 850, in a move aimed at implementing women's reservation in the Lower House and state assemblies.
The bill seeks to "operationalize" 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by increasing the total number of seats of the lower house. It proposes amending Article 81 of the Constitution to allow up to 815 members to be elected from states and up to 35 from Union Territories.
It states that "The House of the People (Lok Sabha) shall consist of not more than 815 members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the states; and not more than 35 members to represent the Union territories, chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law provide."
Bill seeks to take 2011 Census data
To facilitate the changes, the government plans to undertake a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census of India, as it remains the latest available population data. The bill defines "population" as that determined by the most recently published Census figures.
The government plans to bring a Constitution amendment bill, a bill on delimitation law, and an enabling bill for Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry -- three Union territories with legislature -- on Thursday in Lok Sabha to fast-track implementation of the women's reservation Act of 2023.
"The next census and the consequential delimitation exercise thereafter will take considerable time and thus, delay the effective and dedicated participation of women in our democratic polity.
"Hence, the objective of the proposed bill is to operationalise one-third reservation for women, including women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in the House of the People and the legislative assemblies of the states, the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union territories through delimitation exercise to be undertaken on the basis of the population figures of the latest published census," says the statement of objects and reasons of the draft Constitution amendment bill.
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