The Women's Reservation Act 2023 (106th Constitution Amendment) provides 33% reservation to women in

The correct answer is Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

Key Points

•  This Act, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, was passed by both houses of the Indian Parliament in September 2023.
• It aims to reserve one-third of all seats for women in these directly elected legislative bodies.
• This reservation also applies to the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) within these assemblies.
• Specifically, the Act amends Article 239AA of the Constitution concerning the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
• It also inserts new Articles 330A and 332A into the Constitution to provide for the reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies, respectively.
• These new articles stipulate that as nearly as may be, one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election shall be reserved for women.
• This includes one-third of the seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, out of the total seats reserved for SCs and STs.
• The implementation of this reservation is contingent upon the completion of the next census and the subsequent delimitation exercise.
• Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on population changes.
• The Act specifies that the reservation of seats for women will be for a period of 15 years from the date it comes into effect.
• However, this period can be extended by a law made by the Parliament.
• The seats reserved for women are to be allotted by rotation to different constituencies within a state or union territory, in a manner that Parliament may by law determine, after each delimitation exercise.
• The Women's Reservation Act is seen as a significant step towards gender equality and enhancing women's representation in Indian politics.
• Historically, women's representation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies has been significantly lower than that of men.
• Proponents of the Act believe it will lead to more inclusive governance and the formulation of policies that are more sensitive to the needs and aspirations of women.
• The Act has been a subject of discussion and debate for nearly three decades, with various attempts to pass similar bills in the past.
• While the Act has received widespread support, some concerns remain regarding its delayed implementation and the modalities of seat rotation.
• The Act does not provide for reservation of seats for women in the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Indian Parliament).
• The current method of electing Rajya Sabha members indirectly through state legislative assemblies makes direct reservation more complex.
• Nevertheless, the Women's Reservation Act 2023 marks a crucial milestone in the ongoing efforts to achieve greater gender parity in the Indian political landscape.