Delimitation bill set to spark govt-opposition clash as parliament's special session begins today

A three-day special session of Parliament begins on Thursday, setting the stage for a sharp confrontation between the government and the Opposition in the Lok Sabha over a key Constitution amendment bill that combines provisions for implementing the women’s reservation law with a contentious delimitation exercise.

The Centre is set to introduce The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, projecting it as a major reform. However, Opposition parties have decided to oppose the bill, not for the 33 per cent reservation for women, but for what they describe as its “politically motivated” delimitation provisions.

Alongside the amendment bill, the government is also expected to table a delimitation bill and an enabling law for Union territories with legislatures- Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry- in an effort to fast-track the implementation of the women’s reservation law passed in 2023.

A key proposal in the draft amendment is to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from the current 543 seats to a maximum of 850, to facilitate a 33 per cent reservation for women ahead of the 2029 general elections. The bill also proposes a similar expansion of seats in state assemblies and Union territory legislatures.

The proposed delimitation, to be based on the 2011 census, has triggered concern- particularly in southern states- that their political representation could shrink relative to states with higher population growth, despite better performance in population control.

Ahead of the special parliamentary session, top Opposition leaders met at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday to discuss and evolve a joint strategy on the bills brought for the implementation of the women’s quota law and delimitation. Besides Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the other leaders at the meeting included DMK's T R Baalu, the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Trinamool Congress's Sagarika Ghosh, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant, and the NCP-SCP's Supriya Sule, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joining virtually.

They maintained that while they fully support women’s reservation, it should be implemented within the existing Lok Sabha strength of 543 seats for the 2029 elections.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the government of attempting a “power grab” through delimitation and alleged potential gerrymandering. He asserted that his party would resist any move that undermines the political representation of southern, northeastern, northwestern, and smaller states.

Numbers challenge the government
Passing the Constitution amendment will not be straightforward. Amending the constitution requires a special majority- more than 50 per cent of the total membership and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.

If all 540 current members participate, the two-thirds mark stands at 360. The NDA currently has 292 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while the Opposition bloc accounts for around 233, making cross-party support crucial for the bill’s passage.

There is discomfort and growing opposition among southern states over apprehensions that a delimitation would reduce their political weight vis-a-vis their northern counterparts.

States voice protest
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has announced a state-wide black flag protest on April 16, coinciding with the special Parliament session. In a statement, Chief Minister M K Stalin termed the proposed delimitation amendment a “massive, historic injustice” against Tamil Nadu and other southern states. Meanwhile, TVK chief Vijay called for the withdrawal of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, terming it a “biased action” that could reduce the voice of southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, in Parliament.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also raised concerns, alleging that delimitation could undermine the federal structure and adversely affect states like Kerala. He said proceeding without consensus on such a crucial issue was worrying.

The Trinamool Congress also criticised the Centre, with party leader Derek O'Brien alleging that the government was executing a “devious plot” to push delimitation under the cover of women’s reservation.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, he said women’s reservation was being used as a pretext. “Delimitation is the devious agenda. Women, their excuse,” he said.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot urged Modi to address concerns raised by southern states, warning that the issue could become sensitive if not handled carefully.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut described delimitation as a contentious issue, saying it was being undertaken without a Census and could face strong opposition. He, however, said his party would support the Women’s Reservation Act.

BJD chief Naveen Patnaik urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to convene a special Assembly session within 48 hours to discuss ways to protect the state’s interests in the delimitation process, while welcoming the women’s reservation bill.