NDA women MPs raise slogans during a protest in the rain after the Constitution Amendment Bill to introduce reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha was defeated during a special session of Parliament in New Delhi, Friday, April 17, 2026. Photo credit: PTI
The Constitution Amendment (131st) Bill, 2026, which sought to redistribute Lok Sabha seats based on the 2011 census to speed up the implementation of women’s reservation, was defeated on the floor of the Lok Sabha on Friday (April 17, 2026). However, the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 remains a part of the Constitution and can be implemented in accordance with its provisions.
The government on Thursday (April 16) announced the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Reservation for Women Act, 2023). This effectively means that the statutory period of 15 years, often referred to as the “sunset clause”, begins on April 16, 2026.
Published – 18 Apr 2026 19:25 IST
