NDA announces nationwide protests after key bill linked to women's quota fails in Lok Sabha | Updates

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the Constitution (131st Amendment) Amendment Bill did not pass as it did not achieve a 2/3 majority during voting in the House.

The Lok Sabha has defeated the bills that sought to fast-track women’s reservation and enable delimitation without a fresh Census. In the division vote, 298 members supported the Bills, while 230 voted against them, taking the total number of votes to 528.

The Constitution amendment bill aimed at advancing women's reservation has now reached the voting stage in Parliament. Since it is a Constitutional Amendment Bill, members are casting their votes through a formal division vote. 

Voting is set to start shortly in the Lok Sabha on the three crucial Bills connected to women’s reservation. MPs have taken their seats as the House prepares to move into the voting phase after an intense day of debate.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Congress has historically been the biggest opponent of OBCs. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, he alleged that the party did not allow Chaudhary Charan Singh and Sitaram Kesri to complete their tenures. "India has never had an OBC Prime Minister under Congress rule, while the BJP made Narendra Modi, who hails from an extremely backward class, the Prime Minister," Shah added. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a key assurance to the Opposition, saying, "Give me an hour... I will return with an amendment citing 50% rise in seats for states." The remark came amid intense discussions in the House over delimitation and representation.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said delimitation is the only way to correct the uneven voter-to-MP ratio seen across states. "In some states, an MP represents lakhs; in others, just thousands", he said, stressing the need for a fair redistribution of constituencies. Shah also pointed out that the last expansion of the House, from 522 to 543 seats, took place in 1972 under Indira Gandhi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that apart from the I.N.D.I. alliance, no other party has opposed the women's reservation amendment. He added that "No one has objected to the women's reservation... But, if we see closely, all members of the I.N.D.I alliance have opposed it by using ifs and buts," he added. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the number of SC and ST seats will increase once delimitation is carried out. He added that those opposing the bill are effectively opposing the expansion of SC-ST representation. Shah stressed that delimitation is necessary as Lok Sabha constituencies have become too large which makes it difficult for MPs to effectively connect with people and address their concerns.

Responding to the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the opposition is not opposing delimitation but "only and only" the women's quota itself. He added that the bill has been introduced now so that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections are conducted with women's reservation, which the government is committed to implementing.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the crucial voting on three key bills in the Lok Sabha. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to give a formal reply to the ongoing debate at around 5 pm. Voting on the bills is likely to take place following Shah's reply in the House. 

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey criticised the Congress, saying the party had previously opposed a caste-based census arguing it would "divide the country." He added that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stated that a caste census would never be conducted regardless of whether his government remained in power.

BJP leader Nishikant Dubey targeted the Congress, recalling that April 17 was the date in 1987 when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi first faced allegations in the Bofors case. He added that the same date also marked the day the Congress brought down the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999.

BJP leader Nishikant Dubey hit out at Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, saying his Lok Sabha speech looked like a “magic show.” Dubey questioned whether Gandhi was trying to perform “magic or a dance” during his address, adding that the speech lacked seriousness expected in the House.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly objected to comments made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against the Prime Minister, terming the remarks "unparliamentary". Rijiju said such statements undermine the dignity of the House and stressed the need for maintaining decorum in parliamentary proceedings.

Participating in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said: "I want to assure southern, northeastern, smaller states that we will not allow govt to touch your representation in Union of India."

Participating in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that southern and northeastern states shouldn't be worried over delimitation and the opposition won't allow the government to snatch their rights.

Participating in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the BJP is not giving any space to OBCs and Dalits in India's power structure. 

Speaking in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the BJP is scared of what is happening in India's politics and also about its erosion from power. BJP knows that it needs a constitutional amendment to do to what it wants to achieve, he added.

"This is nothing short of an anti-constitutional... the entire opposition won't allow it to happen," he said.

Speaking in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the BJP is trying to bypass caste census and avoiding the OBCs, and snatch their rights.

Speaking in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that BJP is trying to change the electoral map while hiding behind the women of India. "Instead of giving reservation to women... everybody knows how India's society treated Dalits, OBCs and what was done to their women," he said. 

Speaking in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that he does not have "wife issues" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He even said that women are the driving force of India.

Speaking in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the speech of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was exceptional. He also recalled an incident from his childhood and the conversation with his grandmother Indira Gandhi. He said the former Prime Minister had told him that he was only scared of himself.

Speaking in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra achieved what he couldn't do in 20 years. He was referring to Vadra's 'Chanakya' dig that made Union Home Minister Amit Shah smile in the House on Thursday. 

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi is addressing the House over debate on women's reservation and delimitation.

Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla ahead of voting in the House over bills on delimitation and women's reservation.

Stating that the expectations of millions of Indian women are on the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appealed to political parties to vote in favour of the Women's Reservation Bill, brought by the Centre, in the upper House today. The BJP-led NDA government, which has linked the reservation to a proposed delimitation exercise to redraw and increase Lok Sabha seats, does not have the required two-thirds majority to pass the amendment on its own. The Lok Sabha will vote on the bill at 4 pm today after a marathon debate which began yesterday. Read more.

Speaking over a debate on women's reservation and delimitation, BJP MP Hema Malini said on Friday that amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam are crucial for the country. She said this will usher a beginning for India, as she lauded PM Modi for empowering the women. She said the government since 2014 has taken many such steps to empower the women of the country.

Urging opposition MPs to support women's reservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will be passed by the Parliament by consensus. He said this will further empower the women and the democracy of India.

"I would say to all the Members of Parliament... Keeping in mind the memory of your mother, sister, daughter, wife in your home, listen to your conscience... This is a great opportunity to serve the women power of the country, to honor them. Do not deprive them of new opportunities," he said on X.

During a debate in the Lok Sabha over delimitation and women's reservation, Aazad Samaj Party MP Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan said on Friday that women belonging to the lowest caste need to be given justice.

In an X post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged all political parties to support women's reservation. He said opposition MPs should not do anything that might hurt the sentiments of 'Nari Shakti'.

"Currently, a discussion is underway in Parliament on amending the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The debate continued until 1 a.m. last night as well. Logical responses have been provided to dispel the misconceptions that were spread. Every apprehension has been addressed. The information that was lacking has also been provided to every member. Any issue that might have caused opposition in anyone's mind has also been resolved. For four decades, a great deal of politics has been played on the issue of women's reservation in the country. Now is the time that half the country's population must certainly receive its rights. Even after so many decades of independence, it is not right that Indian women have such minimal representation in the decision-making process," he Xed.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will speak in the Parliament at 2 pm today.

Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has attacked the central government over delimitation and women's reservation, and asked why these bills were brought by calling a special session. She said this deliberately done because of the assembly elections in four states and a union territory (UT). She also questioned the government over increasing the Lok Sabha seats following delimitation.

Participating in a debate over delimitation and women's reservation in the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said on Friday that the ruling alliance (the BJP-led NDA) should provide reservation for women belonging to the OBC community and the Muslims. She said women's reservation bill was brought because BJP knows it is going to lose the next elections.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, during a debate over delimitation and women's reservation in the Lok Sabha, wondered why the government has brought delimitation and other bills now. She also said that her party wants a caste census. "The government does not want to empower the women," she said.

The NDA needs two-third majority in the Parliament for the passage of women's quota bill and the constitutional amendment bill. The NDA has 292 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 139 in the Rajya Sabha, and the YSRCP's tally will only boost the ruling bloc in safe passage of the bills. As of now, the YSRCP has four MPs in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha. Click here to read more.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said on Friday that his party and the INDIA bloc will vote against delimitation and other bills. "We are not for women's reservation linked to delimitation, which is completely opaque," he told news agency ANI.

Participating in debate over delimitation and women's reservation in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said: "Linking women's reservation to delimitation effectively holds the aspirations of Indian women hostage to one of the most contentious political exercises in our history... In future delimitations, states that have failed to curb population growth would be rewarded with greater political weight. We must ask if this is the message we wish to send, that governance excellence leads to political irrelevance... You have proposed delimitation with such haste, the same haste that you showed on demonetisation. Unfortunately, we all know what damage that did to the country. Delimitation, sir, will turn out to be political demonetisation. Don't do it."

Opposing the delimitation and women's reservation bills, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said on Friday that PM Modi has brought these bills because of fear of losing the next elections. He even claimed that the BJP doesn't give tickets to women in its own party. "Charity begins at home, BJP should give 50 per cent of tickets to women in BJP elections then," he said.

Union Minister and JD(U) Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh backed the government over delimitation and women's reservation, and said these bills were brought after a lot of consideration. He said the women's reservation act was brought to fulfil PM Modi's vision for the women, who constitute 50 per cent of India's total population now.

Participating in debate over delimitation and women's reservation in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Friday that delimitation requires a serious discussion, saying "how would 850 MPs be given a chance to speak" in the House.

Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will speak in the House at 3 pm on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in the Rajya Sabha to congratulate Harivansh after getting re-elected as deputy chairperson has ended.

Speaking on Harivansh getting re-elected as Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “I want to highlight one thing, today is April 17 - the birth anniversary of our former Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar. It is special that you (Harivansh) are beginning this journey for the third time on his birth anniversary, particularly because of your closeness with him.”

Speaking on Harivansh getting re-elected as Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "On behalf of the House, I congratulate Harivansh Narayan Singh for being elected as the Deputy Chairman for the third time. This shows that House' deep trust on you." 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking in Rajya Sabha, as he congratulated Harivansh after getting re-elected as the House's deputy chairperson. 

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha have started. The House will vote on the delimitation and constitutional amendment bills at 4 pm today.

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha will begin shortly. The House will today vote over the delimitation bill and the constitutional amendment bill at 4 pm. The NDA needs two-third majority for the passage of the bills. 

JMM MP Mahua Maji has questioned the government over Parliament Special Session and wondered why it was called when assembly elections are underway in four states and a union territory (UT). "Why was this special session held? It is already declared that the women's reservation bill will be implemented... Bengal and Tamil Nadu elections are going on, and many leaders are not able to come here," she said.  

Criticising the government over the notification of Women's Reservation Act, Congress MP KC Venugopal said on Friday that the opposition is ready for the complete implementation of women's reservation with the existing 543 seats. He requested the government to withdraw the bill, call an all-party meeting and reach a consensus on all these things.

"The 2023 legislation, which they passed, was notified yesterday night. In 2023, the entire House passed the Women's Reservation Bill.... At least whenever you are moving an amendment for that legislation, it is the government's duty to ensure that it is notified... If they have any sincerity on the women's reservation bill, why this delay? Yesterday, the entire opposition made the charge that you only delayed the Women's Reservation Bill. This substantiates that," he said. 

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party has decided to back the government over delimitation. The party has seven MPs in the Rajya Sabha and four in the Lok Sabha.

Hailing the Modi government over Women's Reservation Act, BJP MP Shashank Mani Tripathi said that instead of just talking about Bharat Mata, the Centre has done something for the country. 

"The PM has made an impassioned and mature appeal to the opposition to make sure that this historic bill is passed... He clarified, and others also clarified, how nobody will be disadvantaged in this. The southern states will also get a proportionate number of seats. I think this was clarified," he said. 

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav said on Friday that the government was allegedly trying to erase the history. His response came when asked about Women's Reservation Act, which came into force on Thursday night, as per a notification by the Union Law Ministry.

"History was already made. This law was already passed unanimously. Why are these people trying to erase that history?" he said.

Hailing India's 'nari shakti' as the Women's Reservation Act came into effect, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday: "Our feminine power is the hallmark of a strong India. The mothers, sisters, and daughters of the nation are enhancing the pride of Bharatvarsha in every field today with their unbreakable resolve, devotion, and spirit of service. May She, who by Her own power created this universe, embodied as the collective form of the powers of all the gods without exception, worshipped by all the gods and great sages alike, whom we bow to in devotion—may She bestow auspiciousness upon us."

Participating in debate over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said on Thursday that that the government wants to "bulldoze" delimitation in the name of women's reservation. 

"What they did through delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir and in Assam, the want to do in the whole country in the name of women's reservation," he said. "What that means is that you are not in favour of women's reservation in reality and are creating obstacles repeatedly."

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said his party is protesting the three bills as delimitation is being de-linked from Census. Yadav, who represents the Azamgarh constituency, said women from backward classes and Muslims should be included in women's reservation law.

Backing Dhamendra Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said he supports women quota in legislature but asked why census is not being conducted. Union Home Minister Amit Shah countered Akhilesh and said that Census 2027 is on and the government has decided to go for caste enumeration. He further asserted that reservation based on religion is 'unconstitutional'. Read more.

Speaking the debate on Thursday over delimitation and women's reservation, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that democracy will cease to exist in India if the Constitution amendment bill is passed by the Parliament. She even said that PM Modi would never use women's reservation as a political tool if he truly respected the women.

"Is the prime minister afraid of a caste census, fearing that once the actual data emerges, it will reveal just how large and powerful the OBC community truly is?" she asked. "By making the 2011 Census the basis for delimitation, Prime Minister Modi is attempting to snatch the rights of the OBC community. However, the Congress party will never allow this to happen."

During the debate on Thursday over delimitation and women's reservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said if the opposition opposes women's quota, it would only benefit him. He also said that no state would be discriminated during the delimitation exercise. 

"Here, some people think that there is political self-interest of Modi in this move. If you oppose it, natural I will gain political benefit, but if you walk along, no one will gain any political advantage. We don't want credit," PM Modi said. 

"I want to say from this House today with a great sense of responsibility that whether it is the south, the north, the east, the west, small states or big states, this decision making process will not discriminate against any state or do injustice to anyone," he added.

During the debate on Thursday over delimitation and women's reservation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Lok Sabha tally of all five southern states will rise to 195 from 129, which is an increase of 50 per cent, while attacking the opposition for spreading a false narrative to mislead the House and the people.

"Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will increase to 42 from the present 28; in Andhra Pradesh, the number of Lok Sabha sets will increase to 38 from 25; in Telangana, it will be 26 from present 17; in Tamil Nadu, the number of Lok Sabha seats will go up to 59 from the present 39; and in Kerala, it will be 30 seats from the present 20," he said.

The strength of the Lok Sabha will increase to 815, of which 272 seats will be reserved for women, said Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday in the Lok Sabha, as the House debated over delimitation and women's reservation.

"According to the women's reservation bill, the strength of the Lok Sabha will be increased to 815, of which women's quota will be of 272 seats. Neither men nor any state will suffer any loss after the implementation of the women's quota," he said.

Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, will speak in the House on Friday, as Parliament debates over women's reservation law and delimitation. 

The Women's Reservation Act, 2023, which will provide 33 per cent quota to women in legislatures, came into force on Thursday, the Union Law Ministry said in a notification.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, the Central Government hereby appoints the 16th day of April, 2026 as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force," the notification read.  

Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will move the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

While the opposition corners government over delimitation, the Centre has consistently maintained that southern states will not lose their representation, and their tally in Lok Sabha will rise to 195 from 129 after the exercise is carried out. It has also alleged that the opposition is only trying to mislead the southern states over delimitation. 

Another stormy session of the Parliament is expected on Friday, with the opposition preparing to corner the government over women's reservation and delimitation. The opposition claims southern states will lose their strength due to the delimitation, while arguing that they favour women's reservation. On the other hand, the government has assured southern states that they will not lose their strength in the Lok Sabha.