Lok Sabha Rejects Constitution Amendment Bill; Delimitation Push Hits Roadblock

Moneylife Digital Team 18 April 2026

Economy & Nation

In a significant legislative setback, the Union government failed to secure passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha after it fell short of the required two-thirds majority. The defeat marks the first instance in over a decade that a constitutional amendment introduced by the present government has not been cleared by the lower House.

The Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling well below the threshold needed for approval. With 528 members present and voting, the government required at least 352 votes, leaving it short by a margin of 54 votes.

The proposed amendment was part of a broader legislative package that included the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and amendments relating to Union Territories. Together, these measures sought to operationalise the provision for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures by enabling a fresh delimitation exercise and expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats.

The government had argued that the changes were necessary to implement women’s reservation without waiting for the next census and subsequent delimitation, as envisaged under the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023.

However, the proposal triggered strong opposition, particularly over the linkage between women’s reservation and delimitation based on updated population data. Critics contended that the exercise could significantly alter the balance of representation among states, potentially increasing the number of seats for more populous regions while reducing the relative share of others.

Opposition parties, while reiterating support for women’s reservation, opposed the combined legislative approach, arguing that the two issues should be addressed separately. The debate in the House reflected these divisions, with the government defending the package as a necessary reform and opposition members describing it as contentious and far-reaching in its implications.

Following the failure of the amendment Bill, the accompanying delimitation proposal was not taken forward, as the measures were presented as interlinked.

The outcome effectively stalls the government’s immediate plans to rework parliamentary constituencies and advance the implementation of women’s reservation through the proposed route, leaving the existing constitutional framework linked to a future census and delimitation exercise unchanged for now.

You can also read:

Union Govt Proposes Constitution Amendment Bill To Increase Lok Sabha Strength To 850

Comments

User

Meenal Mamdani

3 months ago

This is very good news indeed.
Modi has been defeated and his aura of invincibility is shattered.
This should embolden those who have till now been cowed into submission.
We should see many more challenges to the Modi/Shah government's highhanded rule.