India Implements 106th Constitutional Amendment, Enacting Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

Implementation of the 106th Constitutional Amendment

The Government of India has formally announced that the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, widely recognized as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, became effective on April 16, 2026. This legislative milestone aims to institutionalize gender equality within the country's highest law-making bodies by ensuring greater participation of women in the political process.

Key Provisions of the Legislation

The core objective of this amendment is to reserve one-third (33 percent) of the total number of seats for women in the following legislative bodies:

• The Lok Sabha (House of the People)
• State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas)
• The Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi

The reservation also extends to seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within these legislative houses. The implementation of this act is designed to be phased, following the completion of the delimitation exercise based on the relevant census data.

Significance for Indian Democracy

Proponents of the act have described it as a transformative step for Indian democracy. By mandating a specific quota for women, the government seeks to address the historical underrepresentation of women in legislative roles. Official statements have emphasized that this move is intended to empower women and ensure their voices are central to national and state-level policy formulation.

Next Steps and Delimitation

While the act is now effective, its practical application is contingent upon the delimitation process. This process involves the redrawing of constituency boundaries, which will determine the specific seats reserved for women. The government has indicated that the reservation will come into effect after the first census conducted after the commencement of this act is published, and the subsequent delimitation exercise is completed.