Constitution amendment bill on delimitation, linked to women's quota, fails to pass Lok Sabha test

After a debate that lasted around 23 hours in two days in which 123 MPs and ministers participated, the government managed 298 votes, four more than the ruling NDA's strength with YSR Congress voting in favour, while the Opposition got 230 votes.

New Delhi: A Constitution amendment bill on delimitation for early implementation of 33% women’s quota was defeated in Lok Sabha on Friday after the Modi government failed to garner the required two-thirds majority at the consideration stage itself, as the Opposition remained united to vote it out.

After a debate that lasted around 21:27 hours in two days in which 123 MPs and ministers participated, the government managed 298 votes, five more than the ruling NDA's strength with YSR Congress voting in favour, while the Opposition got 230 votes, at least eight less than what it could have due to the absence of some of its MPs, including seven of 28 from Trinamool Congress.

With 11 of the 540 MPs absent, the government needed 352 votes to take up the Bill for consideration and passing and in the first stage itself, it fell short of 54 votes. Following its defeat, two inter-linked Bills -- The Delimitation Bill, 2026 and The Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 -- that required only a simple majority were not taken up.

Opposition claimed victory in the Bill's fall in the Lok Sabha with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi saying that they have "defeated an attack on the Constitution" while ruling NDA's women MPs protested against I.N.D.I.A bloc vote against the Bill, alleging that they have insulted the women of the country, indicating its line of attack on its rival.

This marks the first time that a Bill piloted by the Modi government did not pass muster.

Replying to the debate, a combative Home Minister Amit Shah said the Opposition was playing "ruthless politics" and accused them of trying to stop a move to increase the seats for the SC and ST communities. 

He also accused the Opposition of being opposed to every move of the government as well as any move brought in for the welfare of women. “They were opposed to Shah Bano, they were opposed to triple talaq and now this move to expedite the women’s reservation,” Shah said. 

The Opposition objected to the Bill accusing the government of discriminating against southern, north-eastern and smaller states in delimitation and demanded delinking women’s quota with the exercise with Rahul claiming in Lok Sabha that it is aimed at rewriting India’s electoral map.

The Bill sought to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 550 to 850 for an early implementation of women quota, but its defeat has pushed its implementation back to the 2034 Lok Sabha election. The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023', which it wanted to amend, stipulates a delimitation of seats after a Census conducted after its coming into force for which a notification was issued on Thursday only.

The day saw speculation about the government bringing an official amendment to the Bill to provide a legal guarantee for 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats but eventually it did not happen though Home Minister Amit Shah, while replying to the debate, said that he could bring it in one hour, after the Opposition asked whether he would bring such a change in the draft law.

Hours before the Bill was taken up for passage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to "all MPs" to "please reflect upon your conscience, remembering the women in your own families" while voting on the draft legislation and said the legislation to ensure women’s reservation in legislative bodies is a significant opportunity to do justice to women. 

"Please do not deprive our Nari Shakti of new opportunities. If this amendment is passed unanimously, it will further empower the women of our country and strengthen our democracy. Let us come together today to create history. Let us ensure that the women of India, who are half of the nation’s population, receive their rightful due," he posted on 'X'.

At the debate that saw acrimonious exchanges, senior Congress MP KC Venugopal asked Shah whether he was willing to bring an amendment to assure 50% increase and whether they will delink delimitation from the implementation of women's quota. Shah shot back saying he was ready for moving an amendment but refused to delinking saying, the Congress' intention is to delay it further.

At one point, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "even if the BJP gives in writing that they will have a woman Prime Minister, we can still not rely on them."

"If anyone hears this discussion carefully, one will realise that nobody opposed the constitutional amendment for women's reservation. Everyone said 'we welcome this move'. But all the members of the INDIA group clearly opposed women's reservation," he said.