Women's Reservation, Delimitation Bills Back On Govt Agenda For Monsoon Session
Women's Reservation, Delimitation Bills Back On Govt Agenda For Monsoon Session Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 20:26 IST When the bill was taken
Women's Reservation, Delimitation Bills Back On Govt Agenda For Monsoon Session Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 20:26 IST When the bill was taken up in the Lok Sabha in April, 298 MPs voted in favour while 230 opposed it. Rapid Read The Centre is hopeful of securing issue-based support from sections of the opposition as it prepares to reintroduce the two Constitution amendment bills that failed to secure a two-thirds majority earlier this year. (IMAGE: PTI FILE) The Centre remains keen on reintroducing the Women’s Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, with the government hopeful of securing issue-based support from sections of the opposition after the proposed constitutional amendments failed to garner the required two-thirds majority earlier this year. Sources told News18 on Thursday that the government remains “very keen" on reviving the two measures and believes support could come from MPs across party lines, including some regional outfits and opposition parties.
According to sources, the ruling NDA is hopeful that issue-based backing may emerge from sections of the opposition, including MPs from the Trinamool Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and smaller regional parties such as the Nationalist Congress Party (Sunetra Pawar faction) and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. The renewed push comes months after the government failed to secure the numbers required to pass a Constitution amendment bill aimed at implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures from 2029 and expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha through a fresh delimitation exercise. The proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill sought to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. The additional seats were intended to facilitate the implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament and state legislatures ahead of the 2029 general election. When the bill was taken up in the Lok Sabha in April, 298 MPs voted in favour while 230 opposed it.
However, constitutional amendments require the support of at least two-thirds of members present and voting. The bill needed 352 votes but fell short of that mark. The NDA currently has 293 members in the Lok Sabha, well below the threshold required to pass a constitutional amendment on its own. The government is therefore exploring the possibility of winning support from opposition parties or securing abstentions that could lower the effective voting threshold. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had defended the proposed delimitation exercise during the debate, rejecting opposition claims that it would disadvantage certain states. He asserted that no state would face discrimination during the process and maintained that the exercise was necessary to ensure fair representation. Opposition parties, however, argued that the proposed changes could alter the federal balance and raised concerns over the impact of delimitation on states that have successfully controlled population growth. Despite the setback, sources indicated that the government remains committed to pursuing both reforms and is preparing the ground for another attempt when Parliament reconvenes for the Monsoon Session.
News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More First Published: June 04, 2026, 18:31 IST News india Women's Reservation, Delimitation Bills Back On Govt Agenda For Monsoon Session Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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