Women's Reservation Act
The Women's Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) is a constitutional amendment that reserves seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
The Women's Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) is a constitutional amendment that reserves seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
The reservation
The law provides for reserving one-third (about 33%) of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women, including within seats reserved for SCs and STs.
Implementation
The reservation is to take effect after a delimitation exercise following the next Census, and is intended to last for a specified period, subject to review.
Significance
It aims to strengthen women's political representation, which has historically remained low in India's legislatures.
Why it matters for UPSC
As a recent constitutional amendment on representation, this is a strong current-affairs and Polity topic — the one-third reservation and its conditional implementation are key facts.
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Practise PYQs →Frequently asked questions
What share of seats does the Women's Reservation Act reserve?
One-third (about 33%) of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
Does the women's reservation apply within SC/ST reserved seats?
Yes. The one-third reservation for women applies within seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as well.