Question

Which provision of the Constitution of India deals with reservation of seats for women in the House of the People?

• A. Article 329
• B. Article 330A
• C. Article 339
• D. Article 331

Hint:

Article 330 = SC/ST Reservation in Lok Sabha.
Article 330A = Women's Reservation in Lok Sabha. The "A" signifies the new addition for women.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: The reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha (House of the People) is a landmark constitutional development brought about by the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (The Constitution 106th Amendment Act, 2023).

Step 1: Introduction of Article 330A.
The 106th Amendment inserted Article 330A into the Constitution. This article specifically mandates that one-third (approx. 33%) of the total number of seats in the House of the People shall be reserved for women.

Step 2: Vertical and Horizontal Reservation.
The article provides that this reservation also applies to the seats already reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) under Article 330. This means that 1/3rd of the SC/ST seats are reserved for SC/ST women, and 1/3rd of the general seats are reserved for women from the general category.

Step 3: Implementation Timeline.
While the article is now part of the Constitution, its actual implementation is linked to the completion of the next census and the subsequent delimitation exercise. The reservation is intended to last for 15 years from the date of its commencement, unless extended by Parliament.