Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, hours after it’s introduction by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai to reserve one-third of total legislative assembly seats, set to be increased to 90, for women. However, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill which was also tabled in the Lower House to extend similar reservation for women in the assembly of the national capital, is expected to sail through on Wednesday.

Similar provisions for women quota in the legislative ssembly of the Union Territory of Puducherry will be made by Parliament by amending the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, Nityanand Rai said after introducding both the Bills.

The government is getting J&K assembly in order ahead of the elections which, as per Supreme Court’s direction on Monday, has to happen before September 2024.

The government’s move is line with parliament enacting the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 to pave way for reservation of one-third of the total number of seats for women in the Legislative Assembly of every State; and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Greater representation

“In order to enable greater representation and participation of women as public representatives in law making processes of the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the government stated in the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.

The legislation also stated that one-third reservation of seats for women will also apply for Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes quotas in the legislative assembly of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Bill.

The provisions relating to reservation of seats for women in the assembly, as per the Bill, shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first census taken after the commencement of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Act, 2023 have been published. It shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of fifteen years from such commencement.

The reservation for women in the assembly shall continue till such date as parliament may by law determine. Rotation of assembly seats reserved for women shall take effect after such subsequent exercise of delimitation as Parliament may by law determine.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, was passed in September after the government convened a special session of Parliament, with the PM hailing the law as “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam”. The implementation of law, however, will take time and would happen after the next census and the delimitation exercise for redrawing of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies. Only after that, the government will be in a position to earmark Lok Sabha and assemblies seats for women.

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