Special Parliament session from April 16 to take up Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam amendments; BJP issues three-line whip

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to the floor leaders of both Houses of Parliament on Sunday, calling upon members across party lines to unite in support of amendment bills linked to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, and declared that the women's reservation quota would come into effect from the 2029 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The Central government has extended the ongoing Budget Session by three days, with a special sitting of both Houses scheduled from April 16 to 18 for the purpose.

In his letter, Mr. Modi said the time had come to implement the women's reservation law in its true spirit, and that his government had decided to fast-track the legislation after extensive consultations. He urged all Members of Parliament to participate in what he described as a historic debate beginning April 16. "If the Women's Reservation Act comes into effect from 2029, India's democratic institutions will gain new strength, public trust in them will deepen, and participation and representation in governance will increase," he wrote.

The Prime Minister recalled that reservation for women in legislatures had remained a matter of discussion for several decades, but his government had enacted the law as early as 2023. He described the day of the Bill's passage as an inspiring milestone in India's parliamentary history, witnessed by the entire world. He called upon MPs of all parties to come together in the special session and usher in historic change.

Three-Line Whip Issued

The BJP issued a three-line whip to its members in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Sunday, directing them to be present without fail for the duration of the three-day special session and not to avail any leave during the period. The party asked its MPs to strictly comply with the whip and extend full cooperation in ensuring the passage of the amendment bills.

Two Key Amendments Proposed

The government is learnt to be considering two significant amendments during the special session. The first relates to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which currently stipulates that women's reservations can be implemented only after a fresh census and delimitation exercise — a condition that would have pushed implementation to 2034. The proposed amendment seeks to delink the law from the requirement of a fresh census, enabling reservations to be implemented on the basis of the 2011 census data from the 2029 elections onwards.

The second proposed amendment pertains to the delimitation law. Rather than carving out 33 per cent of existing seats for women — which would reduce the number of seats available to male legislators — the government is understood to be considering an expansion of the total number of seats in Parliament and State Assemblies. Reports indicate that the number of Lok Sabha constituencies could be increased from the present 543 to 816, which would result in 273 seats being reserved for women from 2029. A proportionate increase in seats in State Assemblies is also being considered on the same basis.