Women’s Reservation-Linked Bill Fails in Parliament, Dealing Setback to Modi Government

A key government bill proposing the expansion of legislative assemblies and paving the way for reserving one-third of seats for women failed to pass in Parliament on Friday, marking a rare legislative setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.

The proposed constitutional amendment did not secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, with 298 lawmakers voting in favour and 230 against.

The bill sought to significantly increase the strength of the lower house by nearly 55% to around 850 members ahead of the 2029 general elections, alongside a similar expansion of state assemblies. The government argued that the move was necessary to reflect population changes since constituency boundaries were last fixed following the 1971 census.

However, opposition parties strongly criticised the legislation. While expressing support for women’s reservation, they opposed linking it to a nationwide redrawing of constituencies, alleging it could be used to influence electoral outcomes.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government of undermining constitutional principles. In a post on X following the vote, he said the bill’s failure exposed what he described as an “unconstitutional trick” carried out in the name of women’s representation.

The government rejected these allegations and reaffirmed its commitment to women’s reservation. Speaking in Parliament before the vote, Home Minister Amit Shah criticised opposition parties for blocking the measure, warning that women voters would hold them accountable.

Although Parliament had passed legislation in 2023 supporting a one-third quota for women, its implementation was tied to the completion of the next census and subsequent delimitation process—both of which remain pending and could delay enforcement beyond the 2029 elections.

Currently, women make up about 14% of members in the Lok Sabha and 17% in the Rajya Sabha, with even lower representation—around 10%—in state legislatures across the country.