Modi govt fails to pass Delimitation Bill 2026 in Lok Sabha
The Narendra Modi government Friday April 17, 2026 withdrew the Delimitation Bill 2026 after the amended Women’s Reservation Bill 2026 could not get the necessary votes in the Lok Sabha during the Parliament's Special Session
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government Friday April 17, 2026 withdrew the Delimitation Bill 2026 after the amended Women’s Reservation Bill 2026 could not get the necessary votes in the Lok Sabha during the Parliament's Special Session.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was put to vote after two days of debate in the Lok Sabha.
The Modi government needed a total of 363 votes. It however could get only 298 votes. As many as 230 MPs belonging to different Opposition parties voted against the amended women’s quota bill.
Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and K Chandrasekhar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) that extend issue-based support to Modi government, voted against the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
While voting against the Bill, the opposition parties said they are not opposed to the 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, but are against linking it with the delimitation.
The opposition parties are opposing the linking of delimitation exercise and implementation of women’s reservation based on 2011 Census data. Stressing that this could be injustice to the weaker sections of society and southern Indian states, the opposition parties have urged the government to use the Census 2027 data for the delimitation exercise.
"The Amendment Bill has fallen... They used an unconstitutional trick, in the name of women, to break the Constitution... India has seen it... INDIA has stopped it... Victory to the Constitution", LoP Rahul Gandhi said.
"The way the Modi government presented women's reservation made its passage impossible. The BJP government linked women's reservation to delimitation and the old census, in which the OBC category was not included. We can never agree to this. What happened today is a huge victory for the country's democracy and its integrity", Congress leader and MP Priyanka Gandhi said.
On the other hand, defending the government's decision, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the women of the country are watching who is opposing and stalling the passage of the Bill.
At present, there are 530 Lok Sabha members from the states and 20 from Union Territories. Following the delimitation exercise proposed by Modi govt, the number of Lok Sabha seats would increase to 815, and 35 for the UTs.
The Women’s Reservation Bill was earlier tabled and passed by the Parliament in 2023. Its implementation however was stopped till 2029 and till the time the delimitation of constituencies is done. The government however Thursday April 16, 2026 notified that Women's Reservation Bill 2023 stands.
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