131st Amendment Bill on Women’s Reservation Introduced in Lok Sabha

A major constitutional amendment bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. It is called the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill. This bill aims to change the women’s reservation law. It was tabled after a division of votes. 251 members supported the introduction. 185 members voted against it.

Two other bills were also introduced. They are the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill. Parliament is holding a special three-day sitting for these important proposals.

What the Bills Propose

The draft proposals are very significant. They plan to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha. Currently, the Lok Sabha has 543 seats. The government wants to raise this to up to 850 seats. This will happen after a delimitation exercise. Delimitation means redrawing the boundaries of constituencies. It will be based on the last published census.

State Assemblies will also be expanded. This expansion will help accommodate reservation for women. The main goal is to implement 33 percent reservation for women in the Lower House and State Assemblies. This reservation has been promised for a long time. Now the government wants to speed it up.

Prime Minister Modi’s Speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke during the discussion in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He urged the Opposition not to give a political colour to the bills. He said the government is trying to expedite women’s reservation. He asked all parties to support the move.

Modi also tried to calm fears about delimitation. Many states are worried. They think they might lose seats. The Prime Minister assured that no injustice will be done to any state. He went a step further. He offered to provide a “blank cheque to take credit” for the move. This means he is willing to let the Opposition take all the praise. He just wants the bill to pass.

Opposition’s Stance

But the Opposition is not convinced. The INDIA bloc parties took a unanimous decision. They will vote against the delimitation provisions in the bill. They made it clear that they are not against women’s reservation. They support reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Their problem is with the delimitation process. They believe it is linked to other issues. Some activists have also spoken out. They want to delink women’s reservation from Census and delimitation. They feel that linking them together creates unnecessary delays and complications.

What Happens Next?

The voting on the passage of the bills will take place on Friday. The time is set for 4 PM on April 17, 2026. The government will need a majority to pass the amendment. With 251 members supporting the introduction, the numbers are close. But the final passage requires two-thirds majority in both houses.

The government will try to convince more members before Friday. The Opposition will continue to raise its concerns. The next 24 hours will be very important for Indian politics.

Why This Matters

This is a historic moment for women in India. If the bill passes, one-third of all seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies will be reserved for women. That means hundreds of new women leaders will enter politics. It will change the face of Indian democracy.

But the debate around delimitation is also serious. Some southern states fear they will lose seats. They have controlled population growth successfully. Now they might be punished for it. The government says no injustice will be done. But the Opposition wants written guarantees.

A Three-Day Special Sitting

Parliament is meeting for just three days for this special session. The government has called it to pass these important bills. The entire focus is on women’s reservation and delimitation. Other business has been set aside.

All eyes are now on Friday’s vote. Will the government succeed? Will the Opposition change its mind? Or will the bill face a tough challenge? The answers will come soon.