In the last two days, there was a vigorous debate in the Lok Sabha regarding women’s reservation. The government made every possible effort to get these bills passed by any means; But, the opposition stood firm on its stand, and in the end, the government had to face defeat. From the way the government was presenting its stand, it was clear that Home Minister Amit Shah himself was in charge of getting this bill passed. Yesterday in Lok Sabha, PM Modi also called Akhilesh Yadav his friend. Even today, Amit Shah showed signs of trying to persuade Akhilesh; Yet, despite all its efforts, the government failed to get these bills passed.
In fact, the opposition stuck to its stand, and its impact was clearly visible. All the major opposition parties not only opposed these bills in the House, but also registered their opposition during voting. A total of 528 MPs took part in this voting, in which 298 votes were in favor and 230 against. However, to pass this bill, the government needed a two-thirds majority—i.e. 352 votes—which it could not get.
What will happen next?
To get these bills passed, the only way left for the government is to call a joint session of Parliament. Apart from this, a bill related to women’s reservation has already been passed, under the provisions of which this law is to be implemented during the 2034 elections. The existing bills were intended to implement women’s reservation five years ahead of schedule—an attempt that failed; However, the Basic Law has still not been repealed.
Which bills were involved?
Voting took place on these three bills related to women’s reservation:
131st Constitution Amendment Bill, 2026
Delimitation Bill, 2026
Union Territory Laws Amendment Bill, 2026
