Shortfall in two-thirds threshold stalls constitutional amendment; related bills put on hold
New Delhi: In a major legislative setback, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking to introduce 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, failed to pass in the Lok Sabha on April 17, despite securing more votes in favour than against.
During the division, 298 MPs supported the bill while 230 opposed it. However, as a constitutional amendment, it required a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. The numbers fell short of this threshold, leading to its defeat.
The proposed law aimed to fast-track women’s reservation by delinking it from future census and delimitation exercises. This provision, however, became a key point of contention. Opposition parties argued that linking representation changes to delimitation could disturb the federal balance and disadvantage certain regions. Concerns were also raised over the absence of a specific quota for OBCs and reliance on outdated population data.
Meanwhile, the government strongly defended the bill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a long-pending reform, urging parties to take a “considered view,” while Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Opposition of attempting to stall the legislation.
Following the outcome, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed that the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill would not be taken up, as they were linked to the amendment.
Notably, the episode highlights that a simple majority is insufficient for constitutional changes, underscoring the need for wider political consensus in Parliament.
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