Women quota law comes into force in J&K, Puducherry UT

New Delhi: After notifying April 16, 2026 as the effective date of the Constitution (106th Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Reservation of one-third seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territory of Delhi), the government on Friday notified April 17, 2026 as the effective date of women’s quota provisions in laws related to J&K and Union Territories. pondicherryAlso enacted in 2023, it will take effect in 2023.The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a gazette notification for this purpose.Parliament enacted the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2023, paving the way for women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the Delhi Legislative Assembly.Similar provisions for women’s reservation in Puducherry and J&K legislative assemblies have been enacted through the Government of Federal Territories (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the J&K Reorganization (Second Amendment) Act, respectively.However, three bills seeking to introduce reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures from 2029 – the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 – were defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday.The Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2023 and related amendments in J&K and Puducherry provide that reservation for women will come into effect after the first delimitation based on the relevant census after the coming into force of the Act. A related event will be the 2027 Census, scheduled to take place from April 1, 2026 to March 1, 2027.