New Delhi, April 16: A significant legislative battle is unfolding in the Lok Sabha during the three-day special session of Parliament. Out of 333 MPs present, 207 voted in favor of the bill, while 126 opposed it. This has intensified the political clash in the house.
According to Article 368 of the Constitution, a constitutional amendment bill requires a majority of the total membership of the house, along with a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Once passed by both houses, the bill is sent for the President’s approval.
Currently, the Lok Sabha has an effective membership of 540, with three seats vacant. Therefore, if all members participate in the voting, at least 360 votes are needed for the bill to pass.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) holds approximately 292 seats in the Lok Sabha, securing a simple majority. However, to achieve a two-thirds majority, they will need support from other parties. The opposition India alliance and its allies have around 229 seats, while other parties hold 12 seats. Additionally, there are seven independent MPs in the house.
The BJP, the major party in the NDA, has 240 seats, with TDP holding 16 and JD(U) having 12. In the opposition, Congress has 98 seats, followed by the Samajwadi Party with 37, TMC with 28, and DMK with 22 seats.
This entire arithmetic makes the voting on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir Law (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, critically important.
The proposed bill aims to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850. It is linked to the implementation of the 33% Women’s Reservation Law. Although the Women’s Reservation Law was passed in 2023, its implementation is pending due to the delay in the delimitation process.
The government aims to implement these provisions before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Law (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to clarify representation for the assemblies of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry.
The Delimitation Bill, 2026, will redefine constituency boundaries based on population. The last census was conducted in 2011, while the 2021 census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The opposition has strongly criticized the delimitation process, claiming it attacks the federal structure. Southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana have expressed concerns that it may lead to increased representation for Hindi-speaking states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Both the ruling and opposition parties are strategizing within the house.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly supported the Women’s Reservation in the house, responding to the opposition’s accusations. He stated, “Those who oppose the Women’s Reservation Bill will pay a price for it in the long run.” He urged all parties not to politicize the issue and to work together to strengthen the country’s democracy.
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