Published Apr 16, 2026 | 12:45 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 16, 2026 | 2:57 PM
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal speaking in the Lok Sabha.
Synopsis: The extended Budget Session of the Parliament commenced with a three-day special sitting and the introduction of three key bills in the Lok Sabha, with the government having said these are aimed at expediting the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the state Assemblies.
The extended Budget Session of the Parliament commenced on Thursday, 16 April, with a three-day special sitting. Three key bills — the Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — were tabled in the Lok Sabha, with the government having said these are aimed at expediting the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the state Assemblies.
Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal introduces the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026. Home Minister Amit Shah tables the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha.
The Bills were tabled after a voice vote and a subsequent use of vote slips.
Speaker Om Birla said the voting on the passage of the three bills will take place at 4 pm on Friday.
“The bills shall be taken up for discussion at length. About 15-18 hours or however much time shall be needed,” Birla said before Arjun Meghwal opened the discussion.
Also Read: The delimitation Bill’s hidden cost
Meanwhile, Opposition MPs opposed the clubbing of the Delimitation Bill and the Constitution Amendment Bill for discussion and passing in the Lok Sabha.
Congress MP KC Venugopal said, “Here, one is the Constitution Amendment Bill, and the other two are now. Clubbing will not be a good practice. There are consequences. When the Constitution Amendment Bill is going to be defeated, what is the point?”
Responding to the opposition, Shah said, “When there is a constitutional amendment, the votes are different compared to an amendment to a law.”
“After the Bill on Constitution amendment, to take the women’s reservation to its logical end, we need the other two Bills. Hence, they have been introduced together,” he added. At length, the discussion is all on the same topic, he said.
Shah claimed that this has happened many times in the past as well. “They have decided to oppose everything, so they are standing on that,” he said.
Earlier, DMK MP TR Baalu said, “We favour the 2023 women’s quota law, but at present, the Bill aims at delimitation.”
“Why is the Centre rushing for women’s reservation? Start with the Census first,” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said. He stated that the Samajwadi Party is for women’s reservation, but is opposed to the approach via delimitation.
“As soon as the census is done, we will ask for a caste census, and then the reservation issue will come. Hence, you are cheating us,” he added.
Amit Shah, in response to Akhilesh Yadav, said the process of the census has begun, and that the government has already taken the decision to conduct the caste census.
“The Census 2027 is being done with caste in account. If SP has its way, it might even give caste to houses. I want to assure the House that the Census is going to happen with the caste census as well. Based on religion, reservation of any kind for Muslims is unconstitutional,” Shah said.
When Yadav asked whether the Muslim population did not come under the 50 percent bracket, Shah replied that SP could give all its tickets to Muslim women and that the BJP wouldn’t oppose it.
However, Speaker Om Birla stopped the exchange, asking them not to “debate” in this manner.
Opening the discussion, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, will ensure equality for women.
“I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved,” Meghwal said, quoting Dr BR Ambedkar.
Referring to APJ Abdul Kalam, he said, “Definitely, the reservation of 33 percent seats will come. It is only a matter of time. Kalam had said then, and the time is here now.”
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi opened the discussion for the Opposition. Saying Home Minister Amit Shah had brought the discussion on women’s reservation back in 2023 as well, he asked, “Why is it being introduced today as if it is a completely fresh thought and a historic moment?”
“We are in favour of women’s reservation. But we want it to be simplified and not linked with delimitation. Take up a reservation based on the existing 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. You are connecting the two to delay the women’s reservation. If you had listened to us in 2023, women’s reservation would have come into effect in 2024 itself,” he added.
Questioning the timing to introduce these Bills indicates that the Union government is opposed to carrying out the caste census. “Today, you are saying women’s reservation must come before the caste census. You are bulldozing delimitation to bring about a 1/3rd reservation. The decision to take up caste census came after consistent pressure from us, led by Rahul Gandhi,” Gogoi said.
He also questioned the decision to increase the number of seats to 850. “Where did the number ‘850’ to increase seats in the Lok Sabha come from? Did it come from Nagpur? How can it come without a census or even a relevant parliamentary paper?”
Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya claimed that the Opposition is trying to mislead the people of South India.
Speaking on the Bills, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the BJP regarding the representation of women in its governments. “The BJP has governments in 21 States and Union Territories, so how many of their CMs are women? The one in Delhi is half a chief minister, where are their rights? Does the Delhi CM have her rights?” Yadav asked.
He also stressed the need for a census to be taken up before reservation. “First, the census needs to be done, so that everyone gets their rights accordingly. They shouldn’t run away from the census or the caste census.”
Meanwhile, TDP MP Byreddy Shabari spoke in favour of the passage of the Bills in consideration to enable women’s reservation.
