New Delhi, Apr 14: A bill to “operationalise” 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by increasing the strength of the lower house to up to 850 from the present 543 is set for introduction in Parliament on Thursday.
To redraw constituencies, the bill seeks to take into account the 2011 Census data.
The bill seeks to amend Article 81 of the Constitution.
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.”
The expression “population”, according to the bill, means the population as ascertained at such Census of which the relevant figures have been published.
As of now figures of 2011 Census are available.
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. (PTI)
