Women’s Reservation & Delimitation: How Many Seats Will Delhi, Puducherry, Jammu And Kashmir Get?

Women’s Reservation & Delimitation FAQs: What will change for Union Territories of Puducherry, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir? How many seats will they get? News18 answers all questions

News18

Among the three bills that will be taken up during the April 16-18 special session is the Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill 2026. The other two are related to delimitation and constitutional amendments — the Delimitation Bill 2026 and the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026. All three bills propose major changes to India’s election system and the way seats are allocated.

The Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill 2026 aims to update the laws for Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir to match the new delimitation rules and women’s reservation (Article 334A of the Constitution).

For example, it proposes to increase the number of nominated members in Puducherry to five, with two of them being women, according to News18 Hindi sources.

What is the main goal of the Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026?

The main goal is to update the current laws for Union Territories to match the new constitutional framework set by the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 and the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026. It focuses on making rules about delimitation, the definition of ‘population’, and women’s seat reservation the same for Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Which acts does this bill propose to amend?

The bill proposes changes in three main laws: the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963; the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

How does the bill define ‘population’ for seat reservation?

Under the new bill, ‘population’ for reserving seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will not be tied to a specific past census year. Instead, it will use the definition given in the law on delimitation, allowing Parliament to decide which census data to use for reservations and redrawing constituencies.

What changes are proposed for women’s nomination in the Puducherry Assembly?

The bill proposes to increase the number of nominated members in the Puducherry Assembly to five, with at least two women. This will only take effect after the new delimitation rules are applied.

What is the minimum number of members set for the Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir assemblies?

The bill sets a legal minimum for the number of members, to be decided by the Delimitation Commission. Delhi’s assembly will have at least 70 members, and Jammu & Kashmir’s will have at least 114 members.

How does the bill handle the 24 seats reserved for Pakistan-occupied areas in the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly?

The bill keeps the current rule: the 24 seats for Pakistan-occupied areas will remain vacant until those areas are freed and people there can elect their representatives. These seats are not counted in the total membership for current operations.

What is the role of the Delimitation Commission under the 2026 bill?

The bill gives the Delimitation Commission the power to redraw assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir. The commission will also decide the total number of seats and their boundaries, replacing older, inconsistent rules with a single process.

What safeguards are there for current assemblies during delimitation?

To ensure political stability, the bill says any changes to constituency boundaries will not affect the current assembly until it is dissolved. Any by-elections before the new boundaries take effect will use the old constituencies.

How does the bill link women’s seat reservation to the Constitution?

The bill clearly aligns women’s reservation in Union Territory assemblies with Article 334A of the Indian Constitution. It ensures that the same rules and timelines for women’s reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies will apply to Union Territories.

Why does the bill propose removing several sections from the original 1963 and 2019 acts?

The bill removes outdated or unnecessary sections, such as those related to old delimitation arrangements for Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Mizoram, or transitional rules that are no longer relevant. This is to make the legal framework clearer and more consistent.

What changes are proposed to the long title and scope of the 1963 Act?

The bill narrows the formal title of the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, to specifically mention the Puducherry Assembly and Council of Ministers, since most other areas originally covered now have statehood or their own reorganisation acts.

How will nominated seats in Jammu & Kashmir be affected?

The bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 to increase the number of nominated members to three, but this will only take effect after the new delimitation rules are applied.

What terminology changes are made throughout the 1963 Act?

The bill orders that everywhere the word ‘Pondicherry’ appears (except in Section 58), it will be replaced with ‘Puducherry’, reflecting the official name.

Are these amendments considered a new policy?

According to the ‘Objects and Reasons’, these changes are mainly consequential and enabling, meant to ensure the smooth implementation of the new constitutional framework for delimitation and reservation. There is no new policy; the aim is to update existing laws to match the amended Constitution.

When will the provisions of this amendment act take effect?

The act will come into force on a date set by the central government, announced in the official gazette. Different provisions may start on different dates, depending on the need to implement constitutional amendments and the delimitation process.

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