NEW DELHI — The Union Government is moving to implement the 33% women’s reservation in time for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections by delinking it from the upcoming 2027 Census. In high-level meetings led by Home Minister Amit Shah, the government proposed using 2011 Census data to conduct an immediate delimitation exercise.

Key Highlights:

• Seat Expansion: The Lok Sabha strength is proposed to increase by 50%, rising from 543 to 816 seats.
• Reserved Berths: Out of the new total, 273 seats would be reserved for women.
• Pro-Rata Balance: To address concerns from Southern states, the existing proportion of seats between states will be maintained.
• Legislative Path: The government may introduce two Constitutional Amendment Bills during the current Budget session to finalize these changes.

The move aims to fulfill the "Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam" mandate without the multi-year delay associated with a fresh population count.