New Delhi, August 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged all political parties to support the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and work towards ensuring greater representation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi highlighted the growing participation of women in grassroots governance and said women representatives in Panchayats, Municipalities and Municipal Corporations were demonstrating their ability to address local issues and provide effective leadership.
“Today in Panchayats, Municipalities, and Municipal Corporations, our women public representatives are guiding the nation in very large numbers, solving local challenges, and providing exceptionally capable and empowering leadership,” he said.
The Prime Minister recalled that Parliament had passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to increase women’s political representation but said the issue had remained caught in political differences for decades.
Making a direct appeal to political parties, Modi called for political differences to be set aside and urged leaders to ensure that women receive their “due representation” in State Legislatures and the Lok Sabha.
“Come forward and celebrate the strength and capability of our women. Step forward in honour of our women, and as swiftly as possible, ensure our mothers and sisters receive their due representation in the State Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha so that they can actively contribute to shaping India’s policies,” he said.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced with the stated objective of operationalising and expediting the 33 per cent reservation for women provided under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, enacted as the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act in 2023, ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The government’s proposed legislation requires the constitutionally mandated two-thirds special majority in Parliament for passage. Its progress has been accompanied by political debate over its linkage with delimitation and changes in parliamentary seat allocation based on population.
Opposition parties and several regional groups have expressed concerns about the potential impact of the proposed changes on the federal balance and political representation of different states and regions.
The debate has also focused on the timing and implementation of women’s reservation and the proposed delimitation exercise, with political parties differing over how the changes could affect the distribution of parliamentary seats and representation across the country.
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