NEW DELHI, Apr 17: The Centre on Friday notified the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act 2023, providing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures of Jammu and Kashmir and other Union Territories.
In a notification concerning Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that April 17, 2026, has been appointed as the date on which provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Act 2023 will come into force.
A similar notification was issued for Union Territories under the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Act 2023, bringing the provisions of the Women’s Reservation framework into effect from the same date.
The development comes amid ongoing discussions in Parliament over amendments to the Act, which was originally passed in 2023.
In September 2023, Parliament had approved the landmark legislation, widely known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, aimed at enhancing women’s representation in legislative bodies. The Act provides for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
However, under the original provisions, the reservation was to be implemented only after the completion of the delimitation exercise following the 2027 Census, effectively delaying enforcement until around 2034.
The Centre has now introduced fresh legislative proposals in the Lok Sabha to operationalise the women’s quota earlier, with discussions currently underway to enable its implementation by 2029.
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