India Set to Revolutionize Politics with Historic Women's Reservation Move

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is going to take a historic and revolutionary step regarding the participation of women in Indian politics. The government is now planning to move ahead on the basis of the 2011 census without waiting for the delimitation of the Women's Reservation Act passed in 2023. If this proposal is accepted, the number of seats in the Lok Sabha may increase from the current 543 to 816 directly, of which 33% i.e. about 273 seats are reserved for women. This decision of the Modi government amidst the state assembly elections is creating a stir in the opposition camp. However, to implement this law before the delimitation, the government needs the strong support of the opposition in the parliament. Why the amendment and the help of the opposition is needed? The original Women's Reservation Act 2023 had a condition that the reservation will be implemented only after the new census and delimitation. Now to remove this condition, the parliament will have to present the reservation under Article 368 of the Constitution. The two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha and the two-thirds majority in the parliament.