The Centre’s bid to amend the Women’s Reservation framework suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha on Friday after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 failed to secure the required two-thirds majority for passage.
The proposed legislation, which sought to operationalise 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by linking it with delimitation, received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the special majority required for constitutional amendments.
Following the setback, two other key bills, the Delimitation Bill and a proposal to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats — were not put to vote, with the government stating that they were “intrinsically linked” to the women’s reservation legislation.
Marathon debate, high political stakes
The development came after a marathon debate that stretched past midnight on Thursday and continued through Friday, with both the government and the Opposition making strong pitches on the issue.
Leading the government’s case, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to Members of Parliament to support the bill, urging them to rise above political considerations. “Let all of us not miss this important opportunity to give reservation to women. Do not see this from a political lens, this is in national interest,” he said, while also assuring that no injustice would be done to southern states due to the proposed increase in seats.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed the assurance, stating that the representation of southern states would be protected and could even see a marginal rise if the total number of Lok Sabha seats increases from 543 to around 816.
Govt blames Opposition
The government accused the Opposition of blocking a historic reform and depriving women of greater political representation. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed regret over the bill’s failure, saying the Opposition had “squandered” an opportunity to support a transformative measure.
He added that the government would continue its efforts to ensure women’s empowerment.
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Opposition flags ‘hidden agenda’
However, the Opposition strongly opposed the bill’s linkage with delimitation. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government was using women’s reservation as a “smokescreen” to redraw India’s electoral map in its favour.
“This is not a women’s bill… This bill is an attempt to change the country’s electoral map, using and hiding behind India’s women,” Gandhi said. He also accused the government of attempting to bypass a caste census and dilute representation for Other Backward Classes.
Aftermath and political messaging
After the bill’s defeat, Gandhi termed it an “attack on the Constitution” and said the Opposition was “glad” to have blocked it. He added that the Opposition would fully support the implementation of the earlier women’s reservation law passed in 2023 if brought independently.
Harivansh Narayan Singh re-elected RS Deputy Chairman
Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected unopposed as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for a third consecutive term on Friday after no opposition candidate filed nomination. Nominated to the Upper House by President Droupadi Murmu, Singh secured a smooth re-election.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him, calling it a reflection of the House’s trust in his leadership.
A former journalist and MP from Bihar, Singh has earlier served multiple terms as Deputy Chairman and is known for his parliamentary experience and editorial background.
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