PM Modi seeks consensus on women’s quota ahead of April 16 special session

Guwahati, April 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for collective political support to advance women’s reservation in legislative bodies, describing it as a crucial step towards strengthening India’s democracy and ensuring greater inclusiveness.

In a signed article published on his official website, Modi emphasised that the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act go beyond a legislative exercise and reflect the aspirations of crores of women across the country.

“To describe this merely as a legislative exercise would be an understatement. It is a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India,” he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that India stands at a “historic threshold,” with an opportunity to deepen democratic foundations by enhancing women’s participation in decision-making. He urged Members of Parliament across party lines to support the move during a special three-day Parliament session scheduled from April 16 to 18, where the amendments to the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ will be taken up.

The proposed changes aim to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies ahead of the 2029 general elections, advancing the timeline from the earlier framework linked to post-delimitation processes.

According to the plan, the number of Lok Sabha seats is expected to increase from 543 to 816, with 273 seats reserved for women. The reservation will also include provisions for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) on a vertical basis.

Modi noted that while women constitute nearly half of India’s population and have made significant contributions across sectors, their representation in legislative institutions has remained inadequate.

“When women participate in administration and decision-making, they bring experiences and insights that enrich public discourse and improve governance,” he said.

Highlighting past attempts by successive governments to introduce women’s reservation, Modi said that despite broad consensus, earlier efforts did not materialise. He described the passage of the Women Reservation Act in 2023 as a landmark moment and stressed the need to now ensure its timely implementation.

Calling the initiative a reflection of India’s constitutional values of equality and inclusion, the Prime Minister said that any delay in increasing women’s representation would weaken democratic quality. “Every delay in advancing women’s representation is, in effect, a delay in strengthening the inclusiveness of our democracy,” he stated.

Appealing for unity, Modi urged lawmakers to rise above political differences and support the legislation. “Let us move forward together and strengthen constitutional values and empower our Nari Shakti for national progress,” he said.