The Constitution of India
Article 330A
Reservation of seats for women in the House of the People
(1) Seats shall be reserved for women in the House of the People.
(2) As nearly as may be, one-third of the total number of seats reserved under clause (2) of article 330 shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes.
(3) As nearly as may be, one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election to the House of the People shall be reserved for women.
Why this exists
Women have long been under-represented in India's Parliament despite forming half the population. After years of debate and several failed attempts at a 'Women's Reservation Bill' since 1996, Parliament passed the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 (popularly called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), inserting Article 330A to guarantee women a fixed share of Lok Sabha seats, mirroring a similar provision (Article 332A) for State Legislative Assemblies.
Common misconceptions
Myth: Article 330A immediately reserved one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women as soon as it was added to the Constitution.
Fact: The reservation only takes effect after a fresh delimitation exercise carried out following the next census, as specified in the amending Act, not immediately upon insertion.
Myth: Women's reserved seats are separate from and additional to SC/ST reserved seats.
Fact: Clause (2) makes clear that the women's quota within SC/ST reserved seats is counted as part of, not in addition to, the total one-third reservation for women.