Constitution Amendment Bill to tweak women quota law defeated in Lok Sabha
While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats was defeated in the Lower House on Friday.
While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
According to the Constitution Amendment Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to a maximum of 850 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in states and Union Territory assemblies to accommodate 33% reservation for women.
In September 2023, Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, also known as the Women’s Reservation Act, marking a significant step towards strengthening women’s representation in legislative bodies.
The law mandates the reservation of one-third of seats for women in both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
However, the provisions of the Act are not expected to come into force before 2034, as implementation is contingent upon the completion of the delimitation exercise following the 2027 Census.