The Centre on Thursday introduced key amendment bills for the operationalisation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which was passed in 2023. The three bills are aimed at increasing the number of Lok Sabha
seats from 543 to 850, along with the readjustment of seats in the Lok Sabha and state and Union Territory legislative assemblies.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the core of the special parliamentary session, proposes a significant expansion of the Lok Sabha’s strength from the current 550 members to a maximum of 850, comprising 815 members from States and 35 from Union Territories. The government also introduced the Delimitation Bill, 2026, proposing the readjustment of seats.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday said in the Lok Sabha that seats of all states will be increased by 50%, and the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha will be hiked to 815, of which 272 will be reserved for women.
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Meghwal said the bill will ensure political justice for women, and no state would be affected by this legislation. “The women’s reservation bill was passed in 2023, providing for implementing its provisions based on the census after 2026 and delimitation,” he said.
“There will be an equal, 50 per cent increase in the strength of Lok Sabha members, and this will translate to 815 seats, of which 272 will be reserved for women, which comes to one-third of the strength of the House. There will be no loss to anyone (states), and they will retain their strength,” he added.
Opposition To Centre’s Delimitation Move
The Constitutional Amendment bill and the Delimitation Bill were tabled by Meghwal, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Union Territories Law Amendment Bill. Furthermore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the Lower House at around 3:30 pm.
Meanwhile, opposition members in the Lok Sabha pressed for a division on the introduction of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, with MPs from the DMK, AIMIM, TMC and CPI(M), including T R Baalu and Asaduddin Owaisi, opposing the move.
The Opposition has welcomed the women’s reservation bill, but questioned the rushing of the bill by the Centre. MPs said if the government proceeds with the bill in such a manner, it would undermine India’s federal and democratic structure.
