INDIA Bloc MPs to Strategize as Lok Sabha Votes on Key Women's Quota, Delimitation Bills

This comes as Lok Sabha today is set to continue discussion and vote on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them up to 850.

Earlier on Thursday, the Lok Sabha held a marathon 12-hour session to discuss the amendments to the women's reservation bill, which removes the need to implement the bill only after the census is conducted.

As per the final division, there were a total of 251 AYES and 185 NOES out of the total 333 votes. With the 251 AYES majority, all three Bills, including the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, were introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Multiple leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed the bill. Multiple Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leader KC Venugopal, also participated in the discussion.

The Opposition MPs raised concern over the constitutional amendment, to conduct the delimitation and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 850, based on the 2011 census. The opposition alleged that the proposed legislation would shrink the representation of southern states in the House.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged the Centre to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, reserving one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha, on the basis of the current 543 seats. KC Venugopal referred to the Bills as a move to "sabotage democracy."

However, Union Minister Amit Shah assured that the representation of the southern states would not be affected by delimitation.

Presenting numbers, Shah noted, "If we listen to the entire narrative created for the South, then out of the 543 seats created by you, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is approximately 23.76 per cent. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their power will be 23.97 per cent."

Shah said Karnataka has 28 seats, and 5.15 per cent of the 543 seats in the House, and after the passage of the bill, the number of Karnataka MPs will increase from 28 to 42, and the percentage in the Lok Sabha will increase to 5.44.

"Karnataka will not suffer any loss at all. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, which is 4.60 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will increase from 25 to 38, which will be 4.65 per cent," he said.

"Tamil Nadu has 39 seats, which is 7.18 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 59, and their percentage in the new House of 816 will be 7.23 per cent. Tamil Nadu will also suffer no loss. Keralam has 20 seats, which is 3.68 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 30, and their percentage in the new House will be 3.67 per cent," he added.

- ANI