New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday released a video appeal urging women across the country to press political parties to enact legislation ensuring 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by the 2029 general elections.
Addressing “mothers, daughters, and women in general,” Modi emphasized that India’s vision for 2047, the centenary of its independence, hinges on empowering women to achieve their full potential and contribute meaningfully to national development. “If we want to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat, we have to help women realise their full potential and deploy this potential for powering the national mainstream,” he stated.
The Prime Minister recalled the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which initially reserved 33% of seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies, highlighting that it was passed with broad consensus.
Modi noted that political parties have shown support for extending this provision to the 2029 elections and urged women to advocate actively during the upcoming Budget Session 2026 scheduled from April 16 to 18. He described the effort as a “national campaign” to ensure women secure a meaningful presence in legislative bodies.
The appeal signals the ruling party’s push to transform women’s reservation from a policy measure into a mass movement ahead of the next general elections.
