Q21. Consider the following statements regarding ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ :
1. Provisions will come into effect from the 18th Lok Sabha.
2. This will be in force for 15 years after becoming an Act.
3. There are provisions for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes Women within the quota reserved for the Scheduled Castes.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?

This question concerns the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' (106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023), a significant recent legislative development. Statement 1 is incorrect: The reservation provisions will come into effect only after the completion of the first delimitation exercise undertaken after the commencement of the Act.

This means it will not necessarily be the 18th Lok Sabha; it could be a later one, depending on when delimitation is carried out. Statement 2 is correct: The Act stipulates that the reservation will be in force for a period of 15 years from its commencement, with Parliament having the power to extend this duration.

Statement 3 is correct: The Act provides for a one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Crucially, within this 33% reservation, there are sub-reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) women, proportionate to their population.

Therefore, statements 2 and 3 are correct. This Act is a major current affairs topic with direct relevance to Polity and Governance for UPSC.