New Delhi, Apr 18: In a major setback to the government, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and expansion of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday, even as the ruling side asserted that the struggle to ensure political rights for women will continue.
298 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the bill, while 230 voted against it. Out of 528 members who participated in the voting, the bill required a two-third majority of 352 votes for passage.
The proposed legislation aimed to operationalise women’s reservation ahead of the 2029 general elections through a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. It also sought to increase representation in state and Union Territory assemblies in line with the 33 per cent quota.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were present during the voting. This marks the first instance of a key bill introduced under the Modi government being defeated in Parliament.
Following the defeat, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House for the day and announced that it would reconvene on Saturday. The special three-day session from April 16 to 18 was convened specifically to consider the legislation.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the House that the government would not proceed with two related bills—the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill—stating that all three legislations were interconnected.
Rijiju said the opposition had missed a historic opportunity to secure women’s reservation in legislatures and reiterated that the government would continue its efforts. “We will not rest until women of the country get their rightful reservation,” he said.
He later alleged that the Congress party is “anti-women,” claiming its reaction to the bill’s defeat reflected its stance on women’s empowerment.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a sharp reaction, held Congress, TMC, DMK, and Samajwadi Party responsible for blocking the bill. He said the opposition’s celebration after the bill’s defeat was “unfortunate and condemnable.”
Shah said the opposition would face political consequences for denying women their rightful representation, asserting that such an attitude would be rejected by voters in future elections.
Earlier during the debate, Shah had assured the House that the government was ready to introduce amendments to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent in states and Union Territories if supported by the opposition. However, consensus could not be reached.
He further stated that no party had opposed the idea of women’s reservation in principle, but alleged that INDIA bloc parties collectively voted against the proposal.
Shah also defended the government’s delimitation proposal, stating that it was necessary to address imbalance in voter representation and ensure equal democratic value across constituencies.
He dismissed allegations linking the bill to caste census delays, stating that the Cabinet had already approved caste enumeration alongside the census process, which is underway. (KNC)
