Published Apr 13, 2026 | 7:40 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 13, 2026 | 7:40 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to floor leaders of both Houses, urging Opposition parties to unite to pass the Bill.
Synopsis: The Union government is set to convene a special session of Parliament from 16 April to 18 April to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill, which proposes 33 percent reservation for women from 2029. While Opposition leaders have expressed support for women’s reservation, some of the reported provisions of the constitutional amendments, which are said to also increase the strength of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies through the Bill, have evoked opposition, with fears that it could reduce south India’s representation in Parliament.
The Union government will convene a special session of Parliament from 16 April to 18 April to pass the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, which proposes 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies from 2029.
The BJP on Monday, 13 April, issued a three-line whip—the strictest available—requiring all its Members of Parliament in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to be present during the session.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to floor leaders of both Houses, urging Opposition parties to unite to pass the Bill in time for implementation before the 2029 parliamentary and State Assembly elections. Modi said the amendment would “infuse new energy into India’s democratic institutions and strengthen public trust.”
Opposition parties have expressed support for women’s reservation. However, provisions in the amendment reportedly also propose an increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by nearly 50 percent, with the Lok Sabha rising to 816 members from 548. Of these, 33 percent—273 seats—would be reserved for women.
This has drawn strong opposition, particularly from southern States, which say it could dilute their representation in Parliament. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured that the NDA government would ensure that southern States would not see a decline in their parliamentary representation.
“Be it Kerala, Tamil Nadu, or other States that have done a commendable job in controlling population, some people are spreading falsehoods that a reduction in population will lead to a reduction in their parliamentary seats,” Modi said at an NDA rally in Thiruvalla, Kerala, before the 9 April Assembly polls.
“We will ensure, through legislation in Parliament, that the Lok Sabha seats of these States—be it Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa or Telangana—are not reduced.”
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CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on Monday questioned the intent behind calling a special session when polls are under way in major states across the country.
“The Prime Minister’s letter states that this special sitting is being convened to pass constitutional amendments. The Opposition had jointly requested that, since elections are currently taking place in two major states, such a hurriedly convened parliamentary session should not be called,” Brittas said, while addressing a press conference.
He also said Modi’s letter gave no details of the constitutional amendments the Centre plans to bring.
“We had requested that details of what exactly the government intends to bring and pass in this special sitting be provided to Opposition parties. In the Prime Minister’s two-page letter, not a single detail of the constitutional amendment the government intends to bring has been included,” he added.
Citing sources within “government circles”, Brittas said the amendments would increase seats in both the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by nearly 50 percent, with northern states set to gain more seats than southern states.
“The number of Lok Sabha members from each state will increase by fifty percent, and the number of members in the legislative assemblies will also increase. Our understanding is that this will create a very dangerous situation for South India. The number of Lok Sabha seats for South Indian states will increase by about sixty-three to sixty-five seats – an increase of that amount over the existing seats. At the same time, in North India, there will be an increase of more than two hundred seats,” he said.
“Decisions such as who will form the next government or which laws will be passed are not determined by percentages or proportional calculations, but by the absolute number… North Indian states will gain a significant upper hand over national politics, while South India’s current position will decline.”
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AICC President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had earlier raised similar objections to the government’s lack of clarity.
He reiterated that Opposition parties support the Women’s Reservation Bill, but said, “without details of the delimitation and other aspects, it would be impossible to have any useful discussion on this historic law.”
In his response to Modi’s letter, Kharge also questioned the need for a special sitting during ongoing State elections, saying “it only reinforces our belief that your government is hurrying the implementation of the bill to gain political mileage rather than truly empower women.”
The senior Congress leader also pointed to the Centre’s track record on major policy decisions, such as demonetisation and the implementation of GST, to show a high-handed approach with little consultation.
“If the special sitting is meant to ‘strengthen our democracy’ and ‘moving forward together, taking everyone along’ as you write in the letter, then I would suggest that the government convene an all-party meeting any time after 29 April to discuss the delimitation issue which is being linked to the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023,” Kharge wrote.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, Kharge reiterated the Opposition’s position. “If they call an all-party meeting, we can participate and give suggestions. But they are not ready to call all parties together. That is why, again, on the 15th, we are convening an all-party meeting,” he said.
“In the all-party meeting, whatever decision we take, we will convey that. Apart from that, none of us are against Nari Shakti or women’s reservation. We have already supported it, and the Bill was passed unanimously,” he said.
“They are simply trying to take political advantage of this. We have fully supported one-third reservation from the beginning – Sonia Gandhi herself spoke about it,” he added.
Kharge also pointed to existing implementation of reservation for women in local bodies” “We have already given it in panchayats, zilla panchayats, and corporations – everywhere it has been implemented. So there is no need to teach us lessons.”
“But what we are saying is, when a decision about the country is made, it has larger implications. We have already passed it. Now, we must call everyone and see how it should be implemented,” he said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
