DELHI: In a pivotal decision today, the Lok Sabha rejected the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to expand parliamentary representation and implement women's reservation. Out of the 528 members present for the vote, only 298 voted in favor, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for passing a constitutional amendment.

The bill was part of a larger package that included the Delimitation Bill 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill 2026, aimed at reallocating seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies based on the 2011 Census. Advocates for the proposal posited that it would enhance representation. However, opposition parties argued that using the 2011 Census would disproportionately affect states in the south and northeast, leading to a diminished representation of their populations. The opposition's contention was further bolstered by the ongoing preparations for the 2026-27 Census, questioning the urgency of such a delimitation exercise.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced the withdrawal of the related bills after the amendment’s defeat. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill aimed to increase the Lok Sabha's seats from 543 to a proposed 850, including up to 35 seats for Union Territories. It also sought to amend Article 82 of the Constitution, allowing new delimitation without waiting for the upcoming Census. Additionally, it aimed to initiate the one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies immediately following delimitation.

The Delimitation Bill would establish a commission for redrawing constituency boundaries and reassigning seats based on census data. It also planned for specific allocations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as well as a dedicated reservation for women.

The discussion on this amendment came just a day after the Union Government implemented the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, which grants 33% reservation for women in all legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha starting in April 2026. However, the earlier law’s implementation had languished due to the requirement of a census. With this recent turn of events, the future of women’s representation in Indian politics hangs in the balance.