Women's Reservation Bill Introduced in Lok Sabha Amidst Opposition Concerns

The Women's Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha, aiming to reserve one-third of legislative seats for women. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal initiated the debate, while opposition members raised concerns about the bill's provisions and the absence of a Census. The proposed changes have sparked significant discussions, with various parties expressing their stance on the legislation. The bill seeks to increase Lok Sabha seats and ensure women's representation in legislative bodies ahead of the 2029 elections. The introduction of the bill has led to a united front among opposition parties against certain provisions, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding women's rights and representation in India.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 16, 2026, 12:38 IST

Introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill

LS Speaker Om Birla conducts proceedings in the House during the Special session of Parliament. (Photo:PTI)

New Delhi, Apr 16: On Thursday, the Central Government presented the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, marking a pivotal moment in the current special session of Parliament.

Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, commenced the debate by introducing the proposed Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026.

Additionally, he introduced the Delimitation Bill, 2026, which aims to facilitate discussions regarding a one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies.

During the session, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also presented the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, further expanding the legislative agenda.

The introduction of these bills sparked significant backlash from the Opposition. Congress MP K. C. Venugopal expressed his disapproval of all three legislations and formally noted the party's objections in the House.

Venugopal raised concerns about the absence of proposed amendments to the women's quota law that were not included when it was previously passed. He labeled the bills aimed at modifying the women's quota law and establishing a delimitation panel as "anti-constitutional."

Akhilesh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party questioned the urgency behind the introduction of these bills, stating, "We support the initiative... but why is there resistance to conducting a Census?"

In response, Amit Shah clarified that the Census for 2027 is underway and that the Centre has opted for caste enumeration, asserting that reservations based on religion are "unconstitutional."

He stated, "The Census process has already commenced nationwide, and following that, a caste-based census will be conducted. Currently, the House Listing is in progress; homes are not assigned to a specific caste. If the SP has its way, they will categorize homes by caste as well."

The draft Constitution amendment bill proposes to increase Lok Sabha seats from the current 543 to a maximum of 850 to implement the women's reservation law ahead of the 2029 parliamentary elections, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.

Moreover, the number of seats in state and Union territory assemblies will also rise to ensure a 33% reservation for women.

The draft bill indicates that seats reserved for women in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies will be allocated by rotation among different constituencies within a state or Union territory.

On Wednesday, several opposition parties agreed to collectively oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, while affirming their support for women's reservation in legislative bodies.

With inputs from agencies