Constitution amendment bill faces crucial vote in Lok Sabha today

New Delhi: The Constitution amendment bill linked to the implementation of women’s reservation will be put to vote in the Lok Sabha on Friday, with the Opposition closing ranks against the proposal and the numbers stacked against its passage.

The debate on the bill, which began on Thursday, will continue through the day before voting is taken up at 4 pm. The legislation seeks to amend the Women’s Reservation Act and is tied to a wider exercise to increase Lok Sabha seats and carry out delimitation.

For the bill to be passed, it requires not only a simple majority of the total strength of the House but also a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. With the current strength of the Lok Sabha at 540, at least 360 MPs would need to support the bill if all members participate in the vote.

The numbers, however, suggest an uphill task for the government. On Thursday, 251 members voted in favour of introducing the bill, while 185 opposed it. Though a simple majority was sufficient for its introduction, the same numbers would fall short of the two-thirds threshold required for passage.

If the Opposition maintains its strength during voting, the bill is unlikely to clear the Lok Sabha. In that event, it will not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha.

The bill is part of a broader push by the government to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029, alongside a proposed delimitation exercise and an expansion of Lok Sabha seats.

Defending the proposal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the House that no state would face discrimination in the delimitation process. He said the existing proportional formula for allocation of seats would remain unchanged and that any increase would follow the same ratio.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the total number of Lok Sabha seats could go up to 816 after delimitation, a 50 per cent increase from the current strength. He asserted that the representation of southern states would not decline and accused the Opposition of spreading a “false narrative”.

The Opposition, however, has strongly criticised the move, alleging that the proposed increase in seats and delimitation exercise are aimed at benefiting the ruling party in the 2029 general elections.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi warned that the bill amounted to an “open attack” on democracy and questioned why the government could not implement women’s reservation within the existing 543 seats.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded that the proposed quota include reservation for OBC and Muslim women, while backing the broader idea of women’s representation.

Despite the sharp political divide, the government has maintained that the legislation is a step towards strengthening women’s participation in governance, with several NDA allies backing the proposal during the debate.

With both sides firm on their positions, the outcome of Friday’s vote is expected to be a key political moment, determining whether the proposed changes to the women’s quota law move forward or stall in the Lok Sabha.

Proposed seat changes and ratios

• Total Lok Sabha strength (current): 543 seats
• Proposed strength after delimitation: 816 seats (approx. 50% increase)
• Maximum cap mentioned in bill: 850 seats

Southern states (combined):

• Current: 129 seats (≈24%)
• After increase: 195 seats (≈24%)

Kerala:

• Current: 20 seats
• After increase: 30 seats
• Share: remains ≈3.6%

State-wise increase (South):

• Karnataka: 28 to 42
• Andhra Pradesh: 25 to 38
• Telangana: 17 to 26
• Tamil Nadu: 39 to 59
• Kerala: 20 to 30