Gender Quotas Database
India
Southern Asia
Single / Lower House
Lok Sabha / House of the People
| Total seats | 543 |
| Total women | 77 |
| Percentage of women | 14% |
| Election year | 2019 |
| Electoral system | FPTP |
| Quota type | Reserved seats |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Reserved seats | Constitution |
(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.” (Article 330A) (1) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provision of this Part or Part VIII, the provisions of the Constitution relating to the reservation of seats for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first census taken after commencement of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 have been published and shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of fifteen years from such commencement. (2) Subject to the provisions of articles 239AA, 330A and 332A, seats reserved for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall continue till such date as the Parliament may by law determine. (3) Rotation of seats reserved for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall take effect after each subsequent exercise of delimitation as the Parliament may by law determine. (4) Nothing in this article shall affect any representation in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi until the dissolution of the then existing House of the People, Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.”. (Article 334A) |
| Electoral law | ||
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | Not applicable |
BLANK See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | No |
BLANK See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Upper House
Rajya Sabha / Council of States
| Total seats | 245 |
| Total women | 31 |
| Percentage of women | 13% |
| Election year | 2022 |
| Electoral system | Indirect Elections (STV) |
| Quota type | No legislated |
| Election details | IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: No legislated | Electoral law |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Reserved seats |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Reserved seats | Constitution |
(2.B) “(ba) Seats shall be reserved for women in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. (bb) As nearly as may be, one-third of the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall be reserved for women. (bc) As nearly as may be, one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes) shall be reserved for women in such manner as Parliament may by law determine.” (Article 239AA) 1) Seats shall be reserved for women in the Legislative Assembly of every State. (2) As nearly as may be, one-third of the total number of seats reserved under clause (3) of article 332 shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes. (Article 332A) (1) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provision of this Part or Part VIII, the provisions of the Constitution relating to the reservation of seats for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first census taken after commencement of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 have been published and shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of fifteen years from such commencement. (2) Subject to the provisions of articles 239AA, 330A and 332A, seats reserved for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall continue till such date as the Parliament may by law determine. (3) Rotation of seats reserved for women in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall take effect after each subsequent exercise of delimitation as the Parliament may by law determine. (4) Nothing in this article shall affect any representation in the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi until the dissolution of the then existing House of the People, Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.”. (Article 334A) |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| No data available. | ||
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional information
The percentage of women is calculated from the current number of seats occupied in the parliament. The House of the People has 545 statutory seats. The Council of States has 245 statutory seats.
India is a federation with local, state and federal levels of governance. The Federal Constitution of India provides the system of minimum 33 per cent reserved seats for women in directly-elected local councils of various types, including villages, blocks and districts. The Constitution provides the right of every state to determine the amount of reserved seats in each local council above the required minimum of 33 per cent. Various states reserve different percentages of seats at the panchayat and municipal levels, while several have provided for up to 50 per cent reserved seats for women at both levels. The selection of wards (the lowest-level units which elect village panchayats or municipal councils) to be reserved for women in each election is performed randomly, through lots, and is conducted at the level of the state government which is responsible for elections of local self-governance bodies in the federal system. Lots are drawn in advance of the election date to determine the list of wards. Wards reserved for women rotate at every election. While this ensures that the effect of the reservation is spread broadly across different wards, the system has been criticized for its negative effect on continuity for women representatives (Rai 2005: 176).
Since the early 1990s the Women’s Reservation Bill has been discussed repeatedly with various reformulations, but has not been adopted by parliament’s lower house (the Lok Sabha or ‘House of the People’). Two initial bills, tabled in 1996 and 1998, respectively, aimed at reforming the Constitution to introduce the system of reserved seats for the parliament but expired at the end of the respective parliaments. In 1999 a third bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha but was also unsuccessful.
Another attempt was made by tabling the Constitution Bill of 2008 with the purpose of reserving at least one-third of the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha and in the state legislative assemblies for women, and reserving not less than one-third of seats for women within the seats reserved for scheduled castes and tribes. Under this bill, widely known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory, as determined by law. The reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist or expire after 15 years of the commencement of the proposed Amendment Act. The bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) on 9 March 2010. However, in order for it to enter into force, it must also be approved by a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha.
The Women’s Reservation Bill enacted by Parliament on September 28th, 2023, proposes to reserve 33 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women. India already reserves one-third of seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions at the village level and one-third of the offices of the chairperson at all levels of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, and in urban local bodies, respectively. However, the quota can be implemented only after the first delimitation or redrawing of constituencies after the bill becomes law. Constituencies will be redrawn only after the next Census, which is likely in 2027. (NDTV 2023)
Sources
Legal Sources:
- Constitution of India (amended through 2023) - Link
- The Representation of the People Act (amended through 2021) - 1950, 1951
- Political Parties Law - Link
- Gender Quota Law - 2008, 2023
Other Sources:
- Parliament of India - Link
- Electoral Commission - Link
- See the latest updates on India on iKNOW Politics
- India’s passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill reflects its commitment to gender equality and women-led development: UN Women India (2023) - Link
- India’s New Gender Quota Law Is a Win for Women—Mostly (2023) - Link
- Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Parline Country
Additional reading
- Handbook of Election Law of the Andhra Pradesh State for Panchayat Elections .
- See the latest updates on India on iKNOW Politics
- Sundstrm, A. 2008. Leaving the ‘proxy woman or politician’ dichotomy: A qualitative study of the possibilities and obstacles for elected womens participation in Indian local governance. Department of Policital Science, University of Gothenburg
- Raman, V. 2004. Globalisation, Sustainable Development and Local Self-Government. Challenges of the 21st Century: The India Experience, New Delhi: Center for Women’s Development Studies.
- Sharma, K. 2004. ‘From Representation to Presence: the paradox of power and powerlessness of women In PRIs’, in D. Bandyopadhyay and A. Mukherjee (ed.) New Issues in Panchayati Raj, New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company, pp. 48–66.
- Baviskar, B.S. Impact of Women's Participation in Local Governance in Rural India, paper presented at the Rural Network Conference, Inverness, June 2003.
- Ekatra. 2003. Women and Governance Reimagining the State, New Delhi: Ekatra.
- Ghosh, A. 2003. ‘Women’s Reservation in Urban Local Bodies: A Perspective from Chennai Municipal Corporation Election, 2001’, Indian Journal of Gender Studies, 10, 1: 117–41.
- Jayal, N. and Nussbaum, M. 2003. Gender and Governance An Introduction, Human Development Resource Centre, New Delhi: UNDP.
- Mohanty, B. ‘Women’s Presence in Panchayats (Village Councils) in India: A New Challenge to Patriarchy’, paper presented at the International Conference on Women and Politics in Asia, Halmstad, June 2003.
- Mohanty, M. and Seldon, M. 2003. ‘Reconceptualising Local Democracy Preliminary reflections on democracy, power and Resistence’, Panchayati Raj Update, 10(4), New Delhi: Institute of Social Sciences.
- Panchayati Raj Update 2003. ‘Fact File Bihar Panchayat Election 2001’, 10(2) New Delhi: Institute of Social Sciences.
- Raman, V. 2003. ‘The implementation of Quotas for Women: The Indian Experience’, in International IDEA The Implementation of Quotas: Asian Experiences, Quota Workshop Report Series no. 1, Stockholm: International IDEA, pp. 22–32.
- Sharma, A. ‘Women’s Political Participation and Leadership in the Governance of Municipal Institutions in an Indian State’, paper presented at the International Conference on Women and Politics in Asia, Halmstad, June 2003.
- Keating, C. 2002. ‘The Women's Reservation Bill: Disrupting the Postcolonial Sexual Contract.’ Paper presented at The Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association. Boston, MA, August 28-September 2.
- Mathew, G. 2002. ‘Ten Years on’, The Hindu, 27 December.
- Raman, V. 2002. ‘The Implementation of Quotas for Women: The Indian Experience.’ IDEA, Regional Workshop on the Implementation of Quotas: Asian Experiences. Jakarta, Indonesia, September 2002.
- Buch, N. 2001. ‘The 73rd Constitution Amendment and the Experience of Women in the New Panchayati Rai Institutions (PRIs): A Critical Evaluation’, in A. Pinto and H. Reifeld (eds) Women in Panchayati Raj, New Delhi: Indian Social Institute.
- Raman, V. 2001. ‘The Women's Question in Contemporary Indian Politics.’ Asian Journal of Women's Studies 7, no. 2. pp. 39.
- Buch, N. 2000a. ‘Women’s Experience in New Panchayats: The emerging leadership of rural women’, Occasional Paper 35, Delhi: Centre for Women’s Development Studies.
- Buch, N. 2000b. ‘Panchayats and Women’, in G. Mathew (ed.) Status of Panchayati Rai in the States and Union Terriotories of India, New Delhi: Concept.
- Dalal, M. 2000. ‘Women's Reservation: Another Approach.’ Manushi, September: 28.
- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. 2000. Women in Asia and the Pacific: High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Review Regional Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. 26-29 October 1999: Proceedings. New York: United Nations.
- John, M.E. 2000. ‘Alternate Modernities? Reservations and Women’s movement in 20th Century’, India Economic and Political Weekly, 35, 43, 44: 3822
- Menon, N. 2000. ‘Elusive ‘Woman': Feminism and Women's Reservation Bill.’ Economic and Political Weekly. October 28, 2000. pp. 3835-3844.
- Rai, S.M. and Sharma, K. 2000. ‘Democratising the Indian Parliament: the ‘Reservation for Women' Debate.’ In Shirin M. Rai (ed.). International Perspectives on Gender and Democratisation. New York: St. Martin's Press, Basingstoke: Macmillan. pp. 149-165.
- Sinha, N. (ed.) 2000. Women in Indian Politics: Empowerment of Women through Political Participation. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House.
- Jenkins Dudley, L. 1999. ‘Competing Inequalities: The Struggle Over Reserved Seats for Women in India.’ International Review of Social History. 44: 53-75. (supplement 7, Complicating Categories: Gender, Class, Race and Ethnicity, Eileen Boris and Angelique Janssens (eds.)
- John, Mary E. 1999. ‘Democracy, Patriarchies and Reservations for Women: A Note.’ Indian Journal of Gender Studies 6. No. 1. January-June.
- Kishwar, M. 1999. Off the Beaten Track: Rethinking Gender Justice for Indian Women. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Mohanty, B. 1999. ‘Panchayat Raj Institutions and Women’, in B. Ray and A. Basu (eds) From Independence Towards Freedom, Indian Women since 1947, New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Rai, Shirin M. 1999. ‘Democratic Institutions, Political Representation and Women's Empowerment: The Quota Debate in India.’ Democratization. 6. No. 3, pp. 84-99.
- Raman, V. 1999. ‘Women's Reservation and Democratisation: An Alternative Perspective.’ Economic and Political Weekly. December 11, 1999. Bombay. pp. 3494-3495,
- Sarkar, L. & Majumdar, V. 1999. ‘Note of Dissent’. Indian Journal of Gender Studies. Vol. 6, No 1, January-June.
- Datta, B. (ed.) 1998. And Who Will Make the Chapatis? A Study of All-Women Panchayats in Maharashtra, Calcutta: Stree.
- Hoskyns, C. and Rai, S.M. 1998. ‘Gender, Class and Representation: India and the European Union’, European Journal of Women’s Studies, 5, 3–4: 345–65.
- Kasturi, L. 1998. ‘Greater Political Representation for Women: The Case of India.’ Asian Journal of Women's Studies. 4. No. 4: 9.
- Kidwai, S. and Kumari, A. 1998. Crossing the Sacred Line: Women's Search for Political Power. London: Sangam Books.
- Kishwar, M. 1998. ‘Women's Reservation Bill is a Setback to Feminists.’ IndiaAbroad. July 31.
- Mitra, S. and Ansari, J. 1998. ‘Women's Bill: Ladies Seat.’ The Nation. July 20.
- Nanivadekar, M. 1998. ‘Reservation for Women.’ Economic and Political Weekly. July 11.
- Raj, R. Dev. 1998. ‘Politics-Group: Women Help Themselves to Political Pie.’ Interpress Service. January 25.
- Haniffa, A. 1997. ‘Women's Quota Called Victim of a “Male Plot”‘, IndiaAbroad. January 24.
- Kannabiran, V. and Kannabiran, K. 1997. ‘From Social Action to Political Action: Women and the 81st Amendment.’ Economic and Political Weekly. February 1.
- Misra, N. 1997. ‘Gujral inducts four Women in Expansion of Ministry.’ India Abroad, June 13.
- Muralidharan, S. 1997. ‘A Bill in Vain.’ Frontline. January 10.
- Nanivadekar, M. 1997. Empowering Women: Assessing the Policy of Reservations in Local Bodies. A Report. Mumbai:Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Publications no. 31.
- Nanivadekar, M. 1997a. Electoral Process in Corporation Elections: A Gender Study, Mumbai: Bharatiya Stree Shakti.
- Rai, S.M. 1997. ‘Gender and Representation: Women MPs in the Indian Parliament’, in A. Goetz (ed.) Getting Institutions Right for Women in Development, London: Zed.
- Yadav, R. 1997. ‘More Than Just A Token.’ News India. May 15.
- Everett, J. 1996. ‘Reservation of Seats for Women in India: Toward the Engendering of Politics?’ Paper presented at The Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association. San Francisco, August 29-September 1.
- Gandhi, M. 1996. ‘And the One Who Differs… Maneka Gandhi on Women in Politics.’ Manushi. no. 96: 19.
- Kaushik, S. 1996. Panchayati Raj in Action: Challenges to Women's Role. New Delhi: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
- Kishwar, M. 1996a. ‘Out of the Zenna Dabba: Strategies for Enhancing Women's Political Representation.’ Manushi. No. 96: 22.
- Kishwar, M. 1996b. ‘Women and Politics: Beyond Quotas.’ Economic and Political Weekly. 31, no. 43. pp. 2867-2874.
- Nath, M. 1996. ‘Cutting Across Party Line: Women Members of Parliament Explain their Stand on Reservation Quotas.’ Manushi, no. 96, p. 15.
- Rai, Shirin M. ‘Gender and Representation: Women in the Indian Parliament, 1991-1996.’ A. M. Goetz (ed). Getting Institutions Right for Women in Development. London: Sage.
- Baxi, U. 1995. ‘Emancipation as Justice: Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Legacy and Vision’, in U. Baxi and B. Parekh (eds) Crisis and Change in Contemporary India, London: Sage, pp. 122–47.
- Chatterjee, P. 1993. ‘The Nationalist Resolution of the Women’s Question’, in K. Sangari and S. Vaid (eds) Recasting Women, Essays in Colonial History, New Dehli: Kali for Women.
- d'Lima, H. 1993. ‘Participation of Women in Local Self-Government.’ In Susheela Kaushik (ed.). Women's Participation in Politics. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. pp. 21-30.
- Gawankar, R. 1993. ‘Role of Women in Panchayati Raj.’ in . Susheela Kaushik (ed.). Women's Participation in Politics. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. pp. 88-100.
- Patel, S. 1993. ‘Women's Participation in the Anti-Reservation Agitation in Ahmedabad, 1985: Some Issues.’ In Susheela Kaushik (ed.). Women's Participation in Politics. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. pp. 148-155.
- Rajput, P. 1993. ‘Women Leadership at the Grassroot Level in Punjab.’ Susheela Kaushik (ed.). Women's Participation in Politics. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. pp. 31-44.
- Sankaran, K. 1993. Women in Politics: Forms and Processes. New Delhi: Har-Anand Publications.
- Manikyamba, P. 1989. Women in Panchayati Raj Structures. New Delhi: Gian Publishing House.
- Sarkar, S. 1983. Modern India, 1885–1947, Delhi: Macmillan India Ltd.
- ‘Furore in Lok Sabha over Women's Quota Bill.’ The Hindu. April 15.
- ‘Prime Minister Moots Special Facilities, Reservation for Women.’ The Hindu, March 9.
- India Parliament website, http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/
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