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Women's Reservation Bill Set for Lok Sabha Passage Today, Says Union Minister

Union Minister Annpurna Devi expressed confidence that the Women's Reservation Bill would be passed in the Lok Sabha, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had clarified all opposition doubts. The bill, which provides 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, was passed with 251 votes in favor. Its implementation is linked to a delimitation exercise that will increase the total Lok Sabha seats to 850, based on the 2011 census. Opposition members had raised concerns that the redrawing of constituencies could reduce the representation of southern states.

Key Points: Women's Reservation Bill to be Passed in Lok Sabha Today

  • Bill provides 33% reservation for women
  • Delimitation to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850
  • Opposition concerns addressed by PM and Home Minister
  • Passed with 251 AYES in Lok Sabha
  • Implementation targeted for 2029 polls
3 min read

Women's Reservation Bill will "certainly be passed" today: Union Minister Annpurna Devi

Union Minister Annpurna Devi confirms the Women's Reservation Bill will be passed, addressing opposition concerns clarified by PM Modi and Amit Shah.

"Today, the reservation bill will certainly be passed. - Annpurna Devi"

New Delhi, April 17

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Thursday said the Women's Reservation Bill will "certainly be passed" in the Lok Sabha, adding that the Prime Minister and Home Minister had addressed opposition concerns.

Further, she stated that doubts raised by the opposition were clarified by the government.

While speaking to ANI, Devi said, "Yesterday there was a very meaningful discussion; all members expressed their respective views. Wherever the opposition had any doubts, the Prime Minister very clearly stated that there was no need to have any doubts. The Home Minister has explained it to them with percentages... Now there should be no doubts. Today, the reservation bill will certainly be passed."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier sought to allay apprehension of opposition parties over the delimitation of constituencies and the "proportionate increase" in the strength of the Lok Sabha to implement the Women's Reservation Act from the 2029 polls.

Lok Sabha is continuing its 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 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.

Delimitation, the process of redrawing and rearranging the constituencies, typically happens every 10 years following the completion of the Census, as is detailed in Article 82 and clause (3) of Article 170 of the Constitution.

In 2001, the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001, froze the allocation of seats to the House of People and legislative assembly on the basis of the 1971 census, and only allowed delimitation post the 2026 census.

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.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul R
While the intent is good, I have concerns about the delimitation and increasing seats to 850. The southern states feel their representation is being diluted. The government must address this regional imbalance fairly.
S
Sarah B
As an observer of Indian politics, it's fascinating to see such a significant constitutional change. The 12-hour marathon session shows how seriously this is being taken. Implementation from 2029 gives time for proper preparation.
M
Meera T
Bahut accha hai! My daughter can now dream of being an MP one day. But I hope this reservation leads to real empowerment, not just political symbolism. We need women who will work on ground issues like safety and education.
K
Karthik V
The opposition's concerns about southern states' representation are valid and shouldn't be brushed aside. A strong Lok Sabha needs representation from all regions proportionately. Hope there's more discussion on this aspect.
A
Anjali F
Finally! 33% reservation is a good start. We have capable women leaders across parties. This will change the nature of political discourse for the better. Now let's ensure good candidates get tickets, not just relatives of existing leaders.

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