Srinagar: In a significant move aimed at expanding women’s political representation, the Centre has proposed extending one-third reservation for women to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly through the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The provision, however, will come into force only after a fresh delimitation exercise is carried out in the Union Territory.
The proposed amendment seeks to bring the J&K Assembly within the ambit of the women’s reservation framework introduced under the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023—popularly known as the Nari Shakti Vandan law—while aligning its implementation with updated census figures and redrawn constituency boundaries.
According to the draft bill, a revised Article 334A will explicitly include the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, making it eligible for reservation of seats for women.
The reservation will be operationalised only after delimitation is completed and will not affect the current Assembly or its composition until the existing House is dissolved.
The bill further stipulates that the quota will remain in force for 15 years from the commencement of the 2023 law, unless Parliament decides to extend it.
Seats reserved for women will be rotated across constituencies in successive elections, in line with provisions applicable to other states and Union Territories.
Officials said the linkage with delimitation ensures that reservation is implemented in a manner consistent with population changes and territorial adjustments. The exercise will be based on the latest census figures notified by Parliament, replacing earlier provisions that relied on older population data.
Beyond J&K, the amendment introduces broader changes to constitutional provisions governing representation, including Articles 55, 81, 82, 170, 330 and 332. These changes redefine “population” for the purpose of seat allocation as that determined by the most recent census, a shift that will influence future electoral boundaries and representation across the country.
In the context of legislative assemblies, amendments to Article 170 will impact the composition and distribution of seats, while changes to Article 332 ensure that reservation for Scheduled Tribes remains proportional to their population following any readjustment.
The Centre is also preparing to introduce related legislation to fast-track the implementation of women’s reservation ahead of the 2029 general elections. As part of this effort, the Lok Sabha’s strength is proposed to be expanded to a maximum of 850 seats—up from the current 543—to accommodate the 33 per cent quota.
Sources indicated that the final number of seats will be determined by the Delimitation Commission based on census data, with proportional representation guiding allocation across states and Union Territories. The ongoing census exercise, which began earlier this month, is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the new framework.
The proposed changes also extend to Union Territories with legislatures, including Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry, through enabling provisions that will allow the reservation law to be applied uniformly.
Political reactions to the delimitation-linked framework have begun to surface, particularly from southern states, where concerns have been raised over the potential impact of population-based seat redistribution.
Once enacted, the amendment is expected to mark a major shift in Jammu and Kashmir’s electoral landscape, paving the way for enhanced participation of women in the Union Territory’s legislative process while tying its implementation to the broader national exercise of census-based delimitation.
