The landmark legislation was designed as a transformative structural reform to operationalise a 33 per cent reservation for women ahead of the 2029 general elections. To achieve this, the Bill proposed a massive expansion of the Lok Sabha’s strength, increasing the total number of seats from 543 to 816. This expansion was strategically linked to a comprehensive delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Furthermore, the legal framework included mandatory provisions to increase seat counts across state and Union Territory assemblies to ensure gender parity at all levels of governance.
espite the government's push, the Bill failed to secure the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority required for passage. During a tense voting session in the Lok Sabha on Friday, 528 members participated in the division. While the proposal garnered 298 votes in support, 230 members voted in opposition. With the threshold for a constitutional amendment set at 352 votes, the legislation fell short of the mark, resulting in its immediate rejection by the House.
This address is viewed as a pivotal moment for the administration to articulate its next steps regarding the future of the women’s reservation policy. The rejection of the 131st Amendment Bill marks a significant juncture in Indian parliamentary history, highlighting the intense political friction surrounding the redistribution of legislative power and the logistical complexities of seat expansion. As the nation awaits the Prime Minister’s 8:30 PM broadcast, the focus remains on whether the government will propose a revised roadmap to fulfill its commitment to female representation before the 2029 polls
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