Assam CM calls defeat “anti-women”; bill fell short of two-thirds majority despite 298 votes
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a strong attack on the Congress-led opposition following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, which sought to introduce 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures.
Reacting sharply, Sarma described the day as a “Black Day” and accused opposition parties of being “anti-women.” In a post on X, he argued that the outcome reflected a lack of political will to expand women’s representation in Parliament and state assemblies.
The proposed legislation aimed to operationalise women’s reservation ahead of the 2029 general elections. It also included provisions to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats, linked to a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Similar adjustments were proposed for state and Union Territory assemblies.
However, despite securing 298 votes in favour against 230, the bill failed to meet the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority, resulting in its rejection.
Meanwhile, the development has intensified political tensions. The ruling BJP has accused the opposition of obstructing a long-pending reform, while opposition leaders have maintained that their objections stem from concerns over linking reservation to delimitation and census processes.
As a result, the debate over women’s political representation has once again taken centre stage, with both sides holding firm to their positions.
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