The Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at implementing women's reservation from the 2029 general elections was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday after Opposition parties voted against it. The proposed legislation could not secure the required support during voting. Reacting to the outcome, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition had successfully blocked what he termed an attack on constitutional principles. "We have defeated this attack on the Constitution...We have clearly said that this is not a women's reservation bill, but it is a way to change India's political and electoral structures," he said.
Gandhi offers alternative proposal
The LoP also urged the government to bring back the earlier version of the women's reservation legislation passed in 2023. "I am saying to the Prime Minister right now that if you want the women's reservation bill, then bring the 2023 women's bill and implement it from today. The entire Opposition will support you and we will ensure the women's bill is implemented immediately," Gandhi added.
Priyanka Gandhi's reaction
Meanwhile, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the legislation was never truly about women's reservation but about safeguarding democratic values. She asserted that attaching delimitation to women's quota made the bill unacceptable from the outset.
“We can never agree to linking delimitation with women's reservation. It was not possible that this bill would pass. This is a big win for democracy in our country,” she said, calling the outcome a justified rejection of a flawed proposal. Targeting the government over its claims of championing women's rights, she asked, "Those who did not take any action in Hathras, Unnao and Manipur are talking about an anti-women mindset?”
Constitution Amendment Bill fails to pass Lok Sabha test
It is worth noting here that a Constitution Amendment Bill is passed if it gets the support of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. In the division that took place following the debate on the three bills, 298 members supported the bill while 230 voted against it. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced the results of the division.
On Friday, Lok Sabha resumed discussion on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026. After the Lok Sabha did not pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government had no intention to pursue the two other bills.
ALSO READ: Constitution Amendment Bill linked to women's reservation defeated in Lok Sabha by 298-230 votes
