Which of the following statements as per the Constitution of India is/are correct ? 1. Provision for the reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha has been made vide 106th Amendment of the Constitution. 2. There are provisions for the reservation of seats for women in the Legislative Assemblies and Legislative Councils of the States. 3. There are provisions for the reservation of seats for women in Panchayats. Select the answer using the code given below :

1. Composition of the Union and State Legislatures (basic)

To understand the architecture of Indian democracy, we must look at how our law-making bodies are built. At the Union level, the Parliament consists of two houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). While the Lok Sabha represents the people of India through direct elections, the Rajya Sabha is designed to protect the interests of the States. Members of the Rajya Sabha are elected indirectly by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies using the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV) Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, The Union Legislature, p.244. This ensures that even minority parties in the states find a voice at the national level.

At the State level, the structure varies. Some states have a unicameral legislature (just the Legislative Assembly), while others are bicameral (having both an Assembly and a Legislative Council). The Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) is directly elected by the people. However, the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) has a complex, indirect composition. Unlike the Rajya Sabha, which is purely for state representation, the Council is a mix: one-third are elected by local bodies, one-third by MLAs, one-twelfth by graduates, and one-twelfth by teachers. The remaining one-sixth are nominated by the Governor for their excellence in fields like literature, science, or social service Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, The State Legislature, p.282.

A critical evolution in this composition is the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam). This landmark law mandates one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. However, a key distinction to remember is that this reservation does not extend to the Upper Houses—the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Councils. This contrasts with local governance (Panchayats and Municipalities), where women have enjoyed at least one-third reservation since the 73rd and 74th Amendments Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Panchayati Raj, p.389.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, The Union Legislature, p.244; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, The State Legislature, p.282; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Panchayati Raj, p.389

2. Democratic Decentralization: 73rd and 74th Amendments (basic)

To understand the structure of Indian democracy, we must look beyond the Parliament and State Assemblies to the very roots: the Panchayats and Municipalities. Before 1992, local governments were merely advisory or statutory bodies; however, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts gave them 'Constitutional Status,' making them an ironclad third tier of our federal structure Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Chapter 39, p.389. This transition from 'discretionary' to 'mandatory' existence is the essence of Democratic Decentralization.

One of the most transformative features of these amendments is the system of mandatory reservations. Unlike the Parliament (where reservations for women were only recently legislated), the local bodies have been a laboratory for social inclusion for over three decades. There are three critical layers to this reservation policy:

• SC and ST Reservation: Seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in every local body in proportion to their population in that area D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, PANCHAYATS, p.319.
• Women’s Reservation: The Constitution mandates that not less than one-third (33%) of the total number of seats must be reserved for women. Crucially, this includes seats reserved for women within the SC/ST quotas as well Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Chapter 40, p.400.
• Chairperson Offices: It isn't just about being a member; the law also provides for the reservation of the offices of Chairpersons (like the Sarpanch or Mayor) for SCs, STs, and women to ensure they hold actual executive power.

It is important to distinguish between what the Constitution forces states to do and what it allows them to do. While reservations for SCs, STs, and women are compulsory, the reservation for Backward Classes (OBCs) is voluntary—it is left to the discretion of the individual State Legislature to decide whether or not to provide it Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Chapter 39, p.392.

Feature	SC / ST Reservation	Women's Reservation
Basis	Proportional to their population in the area.	Fixed minimum of one-third (33%) of total seats.
Scope	Applies to both seats and Chairperson offices.	Applies to both seats and Chairperson offices.
Constitutional Nature	Compulsory (Mandatory).	Compulsory (Mandatory).

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj, p.389, 392; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, PANCHAYATS, p.319; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Chapter 40: Municipalities, p.400

3. Existing Reservations for SC and ST in Legislatures (intermediate)

In a diverse democracy like India, the simple First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system could potentially lead to the exclusion of historically marginalized groups. To ensure their voices reach the highest levels of governance, the Constitution provides for reserved constituencies for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Unlike a separate electorate (where only people from that community vote), in a reserved constituency, all voters in that area cast their vote, but the candidates must belong to the SC or ST community Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI, ELECTION AND REPRESENTATION, p.65.

The allocation of these seats is strictly based on the proportion of their population in the respective State or the country as a whole. According to Articles 330 and 332, these reservations are mandatory in the "Lower Houses" of our legislatures:

• Lok Sabha: Currently, 84 seats are reserved for SCs and 47 for STs Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System, p.129.
• State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas): Seats are reserved based on the population ratio within each specific state Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Special Provisions Relating to Certain Classes, p.557.

It is crucial to note that this reservation does not extend to the Upper Houses—the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishads). Furthermore, these provisions were originally intended to last only until 1960. However, through successive constitutional amendments, they have been extended every ten years. Most recently, the 104th Amendment Act of 2019 extended these reservations until January 25, 2030 Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Special Provisions Relating to Certain Classes, p.557.

The process of deciding which specific seats are reserved is handled by the Delimitation Commission. Their strategy differs based on the community:

Category	Selection Strategy	Reasoning
Scheduled Tribes (ST)	Constituencies with the highest proportion of ST population.	ST populations are often concentrated in specific hilly or forest regions.
Scheduled Castes (SC)	Constituencies with high SC population, but spread across different regions of a state.	SC populations are generally spread evenly throughout the country; concentration in one area is rare Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI, ELECTION AND REPRESENTATION, p.65.

Sources: Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI, ELECTION AND REPRESENTATION, p.65; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System, p.129; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Special Provisions Relating to Certain Classes, p.557

4. Constitutional Amendment Process and Article 368 (intermediate)

To understand how India maintains its democratic core while adapting to the times, we must look at Article 368 in Part XX of the Constitution. This article grants Parliament the 'constituent power' to amend the Constitution by way of addition, variation, or repeal. Unlike many other countries, India follows a middle path—it is neither as flexible as the UK (where a simple law can change the constitution) nor as rigid as the USA (which requires a very complex process). As noted in Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, Procedure for Amendment, p.196, this power is so broad that it includes the power to 'repeal' provisions, though this is now subject to the Basic Structure doctrine established by the judiciary.

The amendment process is unique because it is entirely centralized in the Parliament. A bill for amendment can be introduced in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, but notably, State Legislatures cannot initiate any constitutional amendment Indian Constitution at Work, NCERT, Constitution as a Living Document, p.201. Furthermore, there is no provision for a joint sitting if the two Houses disagree on an amendment bill, meaning each House must pass it independently. Once passed, the President must give their assent; they cannot return the bill for reconsideration or withhold assent.

The Constitution provides for three distinct 'pathways' for changes, though technically only two fall under the formal procedure of Article 368:

Type of Amendment	Requirement	Examples
Simple Majority (Outside Art. 368)	Majority of members present and voting (like an ordinary law).	Admission of new states, abolition of second chambers in states, or changes to official language.
Special Majority (Under Art. 368)	Majority of total membership of each House AND 2/3rds of those present and voting.	Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs), and most other provisions.
Special Majority + State Ratification (Under Art. 368)	Special Majority in Parliament + consent of half the State Legislatures by simple majority.	Provisions affecting the federal structure: Election of President, Supreme Court/High Court powers, or GST Council.

Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Amendment of the Constitution, p.124

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Amendment of the Constitution, p.124; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), Procedure for Amendment, p.196; Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.), Constitution as a Living Document, p.201

5. Delimitation Commission and Seat Allocation (intermediate)

In a healthy democracy, every citizen’s vote should carry roughly equal weight. However, as populations shift—some regions growing faster than others—the geographical boundaries of electoral constituencies can become skewed. Delimitation is the process of redrawing these boundaries (Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies) to ensure that each seat represents a similar number of people. Under Article 82 of the Constitution, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census, which then establishes a Delimitation Commission to carry out this mammoth task Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Election Laws, p.580.

While the Constitution originally envisioned delimitation after every single census, India hit a unique challenge in the 1970s. States that successfully implemented family planning feared they would lose seats in Parliament compared to states with high population growth. To protect these states and encourage population control, the 42nd Amendment Act (1976) froze the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies at the 1971 Census level. This freeze was intended to last until the year 2000, but the 84th Amendment Act (2001) extended it for another 25 years—meaning the total number of seats will not change until the first census after 2026 Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill., State Legislature, p.336.

It is crucial to distinguish between the total number of seats and the boundaries of those seats. While the total number remains frozen at 1971 levels, the boundaries within a state were updated to reflect internal population shifts. This "rationalization" was first set to the 1991 census but was later updated by the 87th Amendment Act (2003) to the 2001 Census. This same 2001 census is also used to refix the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) under Articles 330 and 332 Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Delimitation Commission of India, p.530.

Feature	Current Basis (Year)	Constitutional Authority
Total Number of Seats	1971 Census	Article 81 / 42nd & 84th Amendments
Constituency Boundaries	2001 Census	Article 82 / 87th Amendment
SC/ST Seat Reservation	2001 Census	Article 330 & 332 / 87th Amendment

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Election Laws, p.580; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill., State Legislature, p.336; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Delimitation Commission of India, p.530; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Delimitation Commission of India, p.533

6. 106th Constitutional Amendment Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) (exam-level)

The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023, popularly known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, marks a transformative shift in India's representative democracy. For decades, while women enjoyed at least one-third reservation in local bodies (Panchayats and Municipalities) due to the 73rd and 74th Amendments Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, PANCHAYATS, p.319, their presence in higher legislative tiers remained significantly lower. This Act seeks to bridge that gap by reserving one-third (33%) of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, the State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (under Article 239AA).

It is vital to understand the structural boundaries of this reservation. The mandate applies specifically to directly elected lower houses. Consequently, it does not extend to the Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament) or the State Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishads) in states with bicameral legislatures. The logic follows the principle of direct territorial representation; since members of the Upper Houses are indirectly elected, the quota system for women is currently restricted to the houses that represent the people directly.

Legislative Body	Reservation Applicability	Reasoning
Lok Sabha	Yes	Directly elected Lower House
State Legislative Assemblies	Yes	Directly elected Lower House
Rajya Sabha	No	Indirectly elected Upper House
State Legislative Councils	No	Indirectly elected/Nominated Upper House

Implementation of this Act is unique because it is not immediate. The reservation will come into effect only after a delimitation exercise is conducted, which itself is contingent upon the publication of the first census figures gathered after the Act's commencement. Furthermore, the Act includes a sunset clause: the reservation is initially mandated for a period of 15 years, after which Parliament may choose to extend it by law.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, PANCHAYATS, p.319; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.27

7. Scope and Exclusions of Women's Reservation (exam-level)

To understand the current landscape of women's representation, we must look at two distinct legal pillars: the long-standing reservations in local governance and the recently enacted 106th Constitutional Amendment Act (also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023). While the demand for reservation in higher legislative bodies was articulated for decades, it was finally codified in 2023 to address the persistently low number of women elected to representative bodies Indian Constitution at Work, NCERT Class XI, Chapter 3, p.65. However, the scope of this reservation is specific and does not apply universally to all legislative chambers.

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam provides for a 33% (one-third) reservation for women in the following bodies:

• The Lok Sabha (House of the People).
• State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas).
• The Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Democratic Politics-II, NCERT Class X, Chapter 3, p.35.

Crucially, there are significant exclusions to keep in mind for the exam. The 2023 Act does not provide for reservation in the Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament) or the State Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishads) in states that have a bicameral legislature Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Chapter 39, p.349. This distinction is vital: the reservation is currently focused on directly elected 'Lower Houses' and does not extend to the 'Upper Houses'.

In contrast, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts (1992) established a robust system of reservation at the grassroots level long ago. In rural (Panchayats) and urban (Nagarpalikas) local bodies, not less than one-third of the total number of seats are reserved for women. This includes seats reserved for women belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), and importantly, it also extends to the offices of chairpersons at all levels Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Chapter 39, p.389.

Feature	Local Bodies (73rd/74th Amd)	Higher Legislatures (106th Amd)
Scope	Panchayats & Municipalities	Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabhas, Delhi Assembly
Exclusions	None (applies to all levels)	Rajya Sabha & Legislative Councils
Chairperson Reservation	Yes	No (applies to seats only)

Sources: Indian Constitution at Work, NCERT Class XI, Chapter 3: Election and Representation, p.65; Democratic Politics-II, NCERT Class X, Chapter 3: Gender, Religion and Caste, p.35; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj, p.389; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Chapter 30: State Legislature, p.349

8. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

You have just mastered the architectural framework of India’s representative democracy, ranging from grassroots local bodies to the Union Parliament. This question brings all those building blocks together by testing your ability to distinguish between Direct and Indirect representation. While the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts established women's reservation at the local level decades ago, the recently enacted 106th Constitutional Amendment Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) introduces a similar mandate for the national and state levels. To solve this, you must apply the scope of applicability: reservation is primarily designed for directly elected houses rather than those filled through indirect elections or nominations.

Let’s walk through the logic. Statement 1 is a classic UPSC trap; while the 106th Amendment is a landmark law, it applies only to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, purposefully excluding the Rajya Sabha. Similarly, Statement 2 is incorrect because the reservation does not extend to State Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishads). In the state legislature context, the 106th Amendment specifically targets the Vidhan Sabha. You must always look for these subtle exclusions in the text of the law. As detailed in Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth and Indian Constitution at Work, Class XI NCERT, the only long-standing and constitutionally operational reservation for women exists in Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies, making Statement 3 the only accurate claim.

By eliminating Statements 1 and 2 based on their overshot scope, you arrive at the realization that only the grassroots provision is currently and fully accurate as described. This precision is what the UPSC demands—not just knowing that a law exists, but exactly where it applies and where it does not. Therefore, the correct answer is (D) 3 only.