Bills Related to Women’s Reservation and Delimitation to be Tabled Today, fierce showdown expected

April 16, 2026

A fierce showdown is inevitable between the government and the opposition over the proposal to delimit constituencies, aimed at increasing the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies.

As the extended session of Parliament commences on Thursday, the government has geared up to give concrete shape to this proposal; conversely, opposition parties—led by the Congress—have come out in strong opposition to the delimitation exercise.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left no stone unturned in elevating the issue of women’s reservation to a national priority. Consequently, while the opposition is unlikely to be seen opposing women’s reservation, it remains unwilling to back down on its opposition to the delimitation process itself.

On Thursday—the very first day of the three-day extended sitting of Parliament’s Budget Session—the Central Government is set to lay the foundation for major changes within the Lok Sabha. During this session, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill will be introduced to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha as well as in the legislative assemblies of all states and Union Territories across the country. Women’s reservation will constitute an integral part of this legislative initiative.

In addition to these measures, the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill are also slated for introduction. The government has categorically clarified that the proposed delimitation exercise will not result in any injustice to any part of the country, particularly the southern Indian states.

The southern states harbor apprehensions that, owing to their superior performance in population control measures, their allocation of Lok Sabha seats might be reduced under the new delimitation framework.

Completely dismissing these fears, the government has clarified that the increase in seats will be a uniform 50 percent for every state. The maximum ceiling for seats in the Lok Sabha has been fixed at 850—a limit that cannot be exceeded further. Consequently, the question of reducing the number of seats for any state simply does not arise.

The government asserts that, given that there has been no alteration in Lok Sabha seats since 1976, a clear and fresh delimitation exercise is the need of the hour. The delimitation process will be conducted based on the most recently published census data (2011).

The specific number of seats for individual states has not yet been finalized; instead, a separate Delimitation Commission will be constituted for each state. This Commission will determine the final allocation of seats for each state following consultations with all political parties represented within that state.

The Extended Parliamentary Session

All three aforementioned bills are scheduled for discussion in the Lok Sabha on April 16. A total of 18 hours has been allotted for this purpose. April 17: This process will conclude in the Lok Sabha with a vote.
April 18: After being passed by the Lok Sabha, it will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha. Voting will take place following a 10-hour discussion.

The following bills will be introduced:
Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill, 2026
Delimitation Bill, 2026
Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026