As Parliament prepares to deliberate the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act from April 16 to 18, the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) has urged lawmakers to widen the electoral reform debate to include political reservation for persons with disabilities. The group welcomed the proposed 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies but warned that disability representation must not be overlooked as lawmakers expand legislative seats.
In formal representations to the President, Vice‑President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Lok Sabha Speaker and leaders across parties, NCPEDP called for disability‑inclusive provisions to be integrated into the broader reform package. The organisation argued that expanding the number of seats offers a timely opportunity to create reserved vacancies for persons with disabilities without displacing existing reservation categories.
Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP, described the women’s reservation measure as “transformative” but said it should also catalyse wider inclusion. He noted that persons with disabilities continue to face steep barriers to political participation and remain largely absent from decision‑making forums, which in turn sidelines disability issues in policymaking.
The group flagged that “political barriers” are explicitly recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and stressed that lack of direct representation perpetuates policy neglect. Citing the 2011 Census, NCPEDP noted that more than 2.68 crore Indians live with disabilities-a figure many experts consider an undercount-and said the forthcoming census data makes the case for direct political voice more urgent.
NCPEDP pointed to state‑level precedents to underline feasibility. It cited Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, where political reservation for persons with disabilities has been implemented in local governance, as models that can inform national measures. The organisation also highlighted its recent advocacy work, including a “Manifesto For and By Persons with Disabilities” prepared during the 2024 general election and cross‑party engagement through its MP Forum on Disability and ongoing parliamentary dialogues like “Empowering Inclusion.”
The NCPEDP has urged Members of Parliament to raise the issue during the current session and to work towards integrating disability reservation into electoral reforms, saying that ensuring representation would make India’s democracy more inclusive and participatory.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/national/story/disability-rights-group-seeks-legislative-representation-in-electoral-reform-framework-1375451-2026-04-14?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-04-14 14:09:00
