Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged the Center to re-introduce the original Women’s Reservation Bill, a day after the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 failed to be passed in the Lok Sabha during the special parliamentary session.
Speaking to ANI ahead of the last day of the special session, Priyanka Gandhi challenged the government to bring back the version of the bill that had earlier received broad political consensus.
He said, “The central government should bring the old Women’s Bill on Monday itself, which was passed by all parties. Hold a Parliament session on Monday, bring the Bill and see who is anti-women. We will all vote for you and support you.”
His comments come amid a growing political standoff between the ruling BJP-led government and opposition parties over the failed bill that was linked to the implementation of women’s reservation through the delimitation process. The bill could not get the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, as 298 members voted in favor of it and 230 members voted against it.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Constitution Amendment Bill could not be passed. Following this outcome, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the government would not take further action on the remaining two interrelated bills.
The BJP has accused the opposition parties of blocking the historic reform aimed at ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that Congress, TMC and other parties stopped the bill from being passed and warned of political consequences.
However, the opposition says it supports women’s reservation in principle, but opposes linking it to the delimitation and census processes. Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, described the bill as an attempt to change India’s electoral structure, while several Congress leaders called the vote a defense of democratic values.