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Government tables three major bills including women's reservation from 2029 elections and controversial delimitation exercise amid heated opposition debate.
The special session held by Parliament on Thursday was characterized by heated political debate, as the government proposed three bills, including the Women's Reservation Bill. According to the draft of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, there will be an increment in Lok Sabha strength from 550 to 850 from the next general elections, which shall take effect from the year 2029. The exercise of delimiting constituencies will be based on the 2011 census figures, creating resentment among opposition protesters.
The legislative proposal by the government consists of three related bills to ensure reforms in the existing framework for representation within parliament. The women's reservation bill 2026 ensures allocation of reserved seats for women in state assemblies as well as in the Lok Sabha. The Delimitation Bill will realign constituency boundaries through the use of census figures of 2011 that will create more number of Lok Sabha seats. The Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill will amend administrative measures in this regard.
The Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, denounced the move as "a dangerous gerrymander scheme," which could lead to misrepresentation of states. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, held demonstrations against the Delimitation Bill by setting it on fire because he feared that the representation of southern states would be diluted. The opposition leader, Mallikarjun Kharge, pointed out that while the parties were in favor of the women’s reservation, they opposed the delimitation process.
The women's reservation bill, pending since 2023, seeks to address demands for gender equality in the legislature. But the link between the two issues has led to controversy. The delimitation process initiated by the 2011 Census is controversial, with southern states contending that it dilutes their representation in national policy-making.
Business Honor notes that three significant bills to reform the parliamentary system confront a bumpy path. While there is consensus over women's representation, the delimitation issue continues to be politically sensitive ahead of the 2029 elections.
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