Which of the following amendment to the Constitution ensure the reservation of one third of the total seats for women in all elected offices of urban local bodies?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → 74th Amendment
Note: The NCERT book (2025-26) names the 73rd and 74th amendments together as the ones that reserved one third of the seats for women in local bodies in both rural and urban areas. Of the two, the 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions of rural areas, and the 74th Amendment did the same for the urban local bodies (municipalities). So the reservation in urban local bodies comes from the 74th Amendment.
NCERT (2025-26): “Ideals of Panchayati Raj … It was, however, only in 1992 that grassroot democracy or decentralised governance was ushered in by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. This act provided constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). It is compulsory now for local self-government bodies in rural and municipal areas to be elected every five years. More importantly, control of local resources is given to the elected local bodies.…” “Ideals of Panchayati Raj … The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution ensured the reservation of one third of the total seats for women in all elected offices of local bodies in both the rural and urban areas. Out of this, 17 per cent seats are reserved for women belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes. This amendment is significant as for the first time it brought women into elected bodies which also bestowed on them decision making powers.…” |