IN A major setback to the Government, a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue. This was for the first time a bill under the Modi Government was defeated in Parliament. While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority. According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 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.

 

Women’s quota bill defeated... Seats were also to be increased in State and Union Territory Assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were among those present during the voting. After the legislation was defeated during the voting, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House for the day and announced that it would meet again on Saturday. The three-day special sitting was convened from April 16 to 18 for getting the Parliament’s approval to the bill. After the bill was defeated, Rahul Gandhi said if the Prime Minister is serious in providing women reservation in Parliament, he should bring the 2023 law and the Opposition would extend its support outrightly. Earlier, in a bid to get the bill passed, while replying to the two-day long debate, Shah assured the Opposition of an official amendment mentioning a 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats in all States and Union Territories if the Opposition parties support the women’s reservation bill. However, the Opposition did not budge