Question

Which of the following statements are correct regarding the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act?

i. It is also known as the Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam.

ii. It ensures one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

iii. It amended Article 334 to extend reservation for SC/STs in the Lok Sabha.

iv. It introduced Article 239AA(2) to ensure women’s reservation in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

• A. i, ii, and iv only
• B. i, iii, and iv only
• C. ii and iii only
• D. All are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. i, ii, and iv only

106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023

• Also known as: The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, and popularly referred to as the 'Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam'.
• Key Provisions: This amendment act primarily focuses on empowering women in politics by introducing reservations in legislative bodies.
• Reservation for Women:
• It reserves one-third of the total seats for women in the Lok Sabha (House of the People).
• It also reserves one-third of the seats for women in the State Legislative Assemblies.
• This reservation also extends to the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
• Implementation Timeline: The reservation will come into effect after the completion of the delimitation exercise following the commencement of this Act.
• Amendments Made:
• It amended Article 330 (Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People) and Article 332 (Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assemblies of the States).
• It inserted a new clause (1A) in Article 330 and Article 332, respectively, to provide for the rotation of the reserved seats for women.
• It also inserted Article 330A and Article 332A to provide for reservation of seats for women.
• Importantly, this Act does not amend Article 334 to extend reservation for SC/STs; rather, it ensures that the reservation for women will not affect the existing reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. The rotation of constituencies for reserved seats for women will be done by the President (for Lok Sabha) and the Governor (for State Assemblies).
• Constitutional Background: The idea of reserving seats for women in Parliament and State Legislatures has been a long-standing demand and was part of various discussions and legislative attempts over the years.
• Significance for Competitive Exams: Understanding the specific articles amended, the percentage of reservation, and the conditions for its implementation (delimitation) is crucial for exams focusing on Indian Polity and Governance.