India to Convene Special Parliamentary Session for Women's Reservation Bill

Upcoming Special Session of Parliament

The Indian government is set to hold a three-day special session of Parliament from April 16 to 18, 2026. The primary aim of this session is to expedite discussions and the passage of amendments related to the Women's Reservation Act, officially known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned today, April 2. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju mentioned in the Rajya Sabha that the house would reconvene soon to deliberate on a significant bill.

Significant Legislative Developments

Rijiju indicated that there are several bills and important issues on the agenda, which have already been communicated to the opposition. In the next two to three weeks, a crucial bill is expected to be introduced. According to the government calendar, the budget session that commenced on January 28 was scheduled to conclude on April 2. There will be no parliamentary meetings on Friday, and both houses will reconvene on April 16. The Rajya Sabha session has been adjourned until 11 AM on that day, with indications from the government that a 'significant bill' will be presented.

Potential Amendments to the Women's Reservation Act

As per the pre-announced schedule for the budget session, today's meeting was supposed to be adjourned indefinitely. However, Deputy Chairman Harivansh postponed the session until 11 AM on April 16. During the remaining days of Parliament, it is anticipated that the government will introduce a constitutional amendment bill to modify the Nari Shakti Vandan Act (Women's Reservation Law).

Consultations on the Women's Reservation Plan

In the past fortnight, Union Home Minister Amit Shah discussed this plan with leaders from some NDA constituent parties and non-Congress opposition parties. However, consultations with major opposition parties like Congress and TMC are still pending. According to the proposed framework, the number of Lok Sabha seats will increase from the current 543 to 816, with 273 seats reserved for women. The reservation will be done on a 'vertical basis,' allocating seats to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as well. The redistricting of constituencies will be based on the 2011 census rather than the proposed 2027 census.