New Delhi: The Centre’s attempt to push through amendments to the women’s reservation framework hit a setback in the Lok Sabha on Friday, after the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority.
The legislation received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the threshold needed for passage. As a result, two accompanying bills — including those related to delimitation and expansion of Lok Sabha seats — were not taken up for voting, with the government maintaining they were “intrinsically linked” to the reservation proposal.
The debate in the Lower House stretched late into Thursday night and continued through Friday, with sharp exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches over the scope and intent of the bill, which sought to provide 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
Leading the government’s pitch, Narendra Modi urged members to rise above political considerations and support what he described as a “national interest” measure. He also addressed concerns raised by southern states over potential seat redistribution, assuring that no injustice would be done.
“I appeal to all members — do not view this politically. This is about giving women their rightful representation,” Modi said.
Backing the proposal, Amit Shah said the current representation of southern states would be protected, or even marginally increased, in the event of an expansion of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to around 816.
The government also accused opposition parties, particularly the Congress and its allies, of obstructing a historic reform and denying women greater political representation.
However, the opposition strongly objected to linking women’s reservation with delimitation. Rahul Gandhi alleged that the bill was being used as a cover to redraw India’s electoral map in favour of the ruling party.
“This is not about women’s empowerment. It is an attempt to alter the country’s electoral structure while hiding behind women,” he said, adding that the move could sidestep demands for a caste census and weaken representation for Other Backward Classes.
Following the bill’s defeat, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed disappointment, saying the opposition had “missed an opportunity” to support a significant reform. He reiterated that the related bills could not proceed independently.
BJP members staged protests within the Parliament complex, while Shah criticised opposition parties — including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK and Samajwadi Party — for celebrating the outcome, calling it “reprehensible.”
In contrast, Gandhi termed the result a victory for constitutional principles and opposition unity. “This was an attack on the Constitution, and we are glad it has been defeated,” he told reporters, adding that the opposition would support the earlier version of the women’s reservation law passed in 2023 if implemented independently.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi echoed similar concerns, stating that linking the quota to delimitation based on outdated census data — excluding OBCs — was unacceptable.
“We cannot agree to such a framework. This outcome reflects a victory for democracy and national unity,” she said.
The failure of the bill marks a significant political flashpoint, with both sides framing the outcome as either a missed reform opportunity or a defence of constitutional safeguards.
