Last Updated:
Parliament adjourned till April 16 as government plans bill to raise Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816, enabling 33 percent reservation for women via Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
A photo of the Lok Sabha (PTI)
Both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned today, April 2, with the government set to reconvene a session on April 16 to take up what it has described as a “very important bill” that will increase the seats in Lok Sabha from 543 to 816.
With this bill, Centre’s decision to implement the women’s reservation law will pave a path for 33% seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said, “We have certain bills and important issues, and we have shared this with the opposition also. We are going to have a very important bill in the next two-three weeks.”
What’s On The Table?
At the centre of the proposed changes is a plan to reserve one-third of the expanded seats — around 273 — for women. The move is linked to the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (women’s reservation law), which was passed in 2023 but is yet to be operationalised.
The move promises to change the country’s political landscape, as the new 273 seats will increase the participation of women and majority mark will, accordingly, move to 409.
This will be the first time after five decades that the strength of the Lok Sabha will be increased. However, the bring the following:NDA-govt does not have the required number of MPs to secure the passage of the bill alone.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is leading the effort to get support from other parties. Recently, he held meetings with two regional parties from the non-NDA bloc, including opposition parties and those unaligned to either formation (NDA or INDIA blocs), and another with BJP’s allies.
The expansion of Lok Sabha seats is being seen as a major structural reform aimed at improving representation in line with population growth, while also enabling women’s reservation.
How Will It Be Done, What Happens Next
To enable this, the government is likely to bring:
- A Constitution amendment bill to tweak provisions of the existing law
- Changes to the Delimitation Act to redraw constituencies
If cleared, the changes are expected to come into effect before the 2029 general elections, with similar provisions likely to be extended to state assemblies.
Budget Session Adjourned Today
The Budget Session, which began on January 28, concluded on April 2 as scheduled, but instead of being adjourned sine die, it has been paused to allow the government to return with the proposed legislation later this month.
In the remaining few days of Parliament, it is expected that the House will go into a recess and reconvene after April 15 for a short duration during which the government will introduce and pass the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Delhi, India, India
April 02, 2026, 8:55 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
