Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the women's reservation law will be implemented before the 2029 general elections [1].

The commitment comes as the government seeks to ensure gender parity in legislative representation, a move that would fundamentally shift the demographic makeup of India's parliament.

Meghwal said on Thursday during discussions in the Lok Sabha regarding the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 [1]. He said the process to fulfill the historic decision on women's reservation is moving forward despite recent legislative setbacks [2].

Earlier this year, an amendment to the 2023 women’s quota law was defeated in the Lok Sabha in April [1]. The failure of that specific amendment created uncertainty regarding the timeline for the quota's rollout. However, Meghwal said the time to implement the quota has come, and the wait will not be long [2].

The law aims to reserve a specific percentage of seats for women to ensure their voices are represented in the national decision-making process. By targeting the 2029 deadline, the government intends to have the legal framework, and electoral boundaries fully aligned before the next general election cycle [1].

The minister's remarks serve to reassure proponents of the quota that the 2023 legislation remains the primary goal, even if the path through the 2026 amendment bill faces challenges [1].

“the women's reservation law will be implemented before the 2029 general elections”

The Law Minister's timeline suggests that the government is treating the 2029 election as a non-negotiable deadline for gender-based quotas. While the defeat of the April amendment indicates significant legislative friction, the shift toward the 131st Amendment Bill shows an attempt to find a new legal pathway to bypass previous roadblocks.