India, April 24 -- The Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, came into effect nationwide on April 16, 2026. Although the law was passed in 2023, it was notified by the Union Law Ministry nearly two years later. However, the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which related to the women's reservation law and delimitation, was defeated after voting on April 17, 2026.

The issue of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is decades old. Despite numerous debates and support for reservation, the current 18th Lok Sabha has a mere 14 per cent share of women. The current Lok Sabha has 75 elected women MPs, a significant decrease from the 78 women ...