Women's Reservation Bill Gets Defeated In Lok Sabha; 230 Members Vote Against It

The Lok Sabha on Friday rejected the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, with 298 members voting in favour and 230 voting against it, out of a total of 528 members who participated in the voting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the Lok Sabha when voting took place.

The bill sought to expand the strength of the House from 543 to 850 seats and allow delimitation of seats based on pre-2026 Census.

The Constitution Amendment Bill needed a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. With 298 'Ayes' out of 528 votes, it did not reach the required 326 votes.

Before voting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharply criticised opposition parties during a marathon debate over bills. He warned that women voters were closely watching the opposition’s stance and said parties opposing the measures would face backlash in future elections. Shah also accused the opposition of creating a misleading north-versus-south narrative on delimitation, asserting that southern states would retain their rightful representation and influence in Parliament.

Defending the proposed delimitation process, Shah said it was necessary to uphold the constitutional principle of “one person, one vote, one value,” citing disparities in voter representation across constituencies. He argued that delaying delimitation would also hinder proportional increases in seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Responding to criticism over census delays, he said the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted the 2021 census schedule but confirmed that a caste-based census had since begun. Shah added that the government introduced three bills to ensure women’s reservation is implemented in a time-bound manner ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.