New Delhi, India — Sources within the government indicate that a special three-day session of the Indian Parliament is likely to be convened starting August 17. The primary objective of this session is to make a renewed push for the passage of crucial Constitution Amendment Bills related to women's reservation and the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.
Renewed Effort for Key Legislation
This upcoming session marks a second attempt by the Centre to pass these significant legislative changes. The Monsoon Session, which is scheduled to conclude on August 13, may not be formally prorogued, a procedural move that would allow Parliament to be reconvened swiftly.
The proposed bills, which include provisions for women's reservation in legislative bodies and the redrawing of Lok Sabha seats based on the 2011 Census, require a two-thirds majority to pass as they are Constitution Amendments. According to sources, the government is actively working to secure the necessary support before formally scheduling the special session.
Previous Attempt and Opposition Reactions
A similar effort in April this year saw the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, defeated in the Lok Sabha. Despite receiving 298 votes in favor, the bill fell short of the required 352 votes from the then 528-member House. Following this setback, two related legislations – the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 – were subsequently withdrawn.
The previous defeat sparked strong reactions. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had criticized the Opposition for what he termed "ruthless politics," warning of repercussions from women voters. Meanwhile, prominent opposition figures like Shashi Tharoor had raised concerns, questioning plans to potentially expand the Lok Sabha to 850 seats after a delimitation exercise.
The Significance of Delimitation and Women's Reservation
The delimitation exercise aims to redistribute parliamentary seats to reflect population changes, primarily based on the 2011 Census data. Concurrently, the women's reservation bill seeks to ensure greater representation for women in India's legislative bodies, a long-standing demand from various political and social groups. The government's renewed focus underscores the importance it places on these legislative reforms.