- Constitution Amendment Bill for women’s reservation failed.
- Bill sought 33% reservation from 2029 onward.
- Opposition parties celebrated the bill’s defeat.
- Differing views emerged on representation and reform.
The rejection of the Constitution Amendment Bill on delimitation and women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha has triggered sharp political reactions, with Opposition parties hailing it as a significant blow to the ruling establishment. The proposed legislation, which aimed to introduce 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures from 2029 and increase Lok Sabha seats substantially, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority. Of the 528 members who voted, 298 supported the bill while 230 opposed it—falling short of the 352 votes needed for passage.
Opposition Leaders Celebrate Outcome
Reacting to the result, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said the outcome had exposed the BJP’s “discomfort” in full public view and called on the government to implement women’s reservation without delay.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin framed the defeat as a political and symbolic victory, linking it to his party’s opposition to delimitation. He claimed the agitation had “scorched Delhi’s arrogance” and delivered a “severe blow” to the BJP and Narendra Modi. “Our struggle against delimitation has succeeded. The black shirt force has defeated the saffron brigade,” Stalin said.
In Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal welcomed the development, stating that “truth has prevailed.”
Diverging Views On Women’s Representation
Not all reactions aligned with the celebratory tone. YSCRP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy criticised the outcome, arguing that it failed to deliver justice to both southern states and women.
“Opposing parties should seriously question themselves; justice is rendered neither to the south nor the women,” he posted on X.
Numbers Fall Short Despite Majority Support
The bill sought to expand the current strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to as many as 850 seats following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. The move was intended to pave the way for implementing women’s reservation ahead of the 2029 general elections.
However, despite a simple majority backing the proposal, the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority proved decisive in halting its progress in the Lower House.
