Women’s Reservation Bill and Delimitation Process
Overview
The Parliament is set to pass three bills aimed at advancing a 33% women's reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029. This effort is met with opposition despite general support, primarily due to concerns about its implications for seat distribution among states.
Government and Opposition Stance
- Opposition Concerns:
- The bills lack clarity on maintaining the proportional seat allocation across states.
- Concerns about rewarding states not implementing family planning with more seats.
- Opposition to a proposed 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states, which may widen disparities between states with stable and growing populations.
- Telangana's Chief Minister proposed a hybrid model for seat allocation, considering both population and GDP.
- Government’s Response:
- A schedule will be attached to the bills to clarify the proportional increase in Lok Sabha seats for each state.
- The schedule aims to address fears from southern states regarding their proportion of seats declining.
Proposed Legislative Changes
- Constitutional Amendment Bill:
- Amends the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, for expedited women's reservation.
- Article 81 amendment to cap Lok Sabha members at 815 from states and 35 from Union Territories.
- Article 82 amendment removes the need for delimitation after each Census.
- Delimitation Bill:
- Establishes a Delimitation Commission to realign constituencies based on the latest Census figures, likely from 2011.
- Ensures the alignment with constitutional provisions like Article 81, supporting the "one person, one vote, one value" principle.
Delimitation History
- The current freeze on delimitation stems from constitutional amendments in 1976 and 2001.
- These amendments set the 1971 Census as a reference point for seat allocation, frozen until the first census figures after 2026 are published.
- The freeze aimed to prevent southern states from losing representation due to their stabilized populations compared to the rapid growth in some northern states.
Conclusion
While the proposed bills aim to enhance women’s representation, they have ignited a debate over equitable seat distribution among states. The constitutional amendments and the expected Delimitation Commission's role are central to how these changes will be implemented, balancing legal frameworks and demographic realities.
