Women’s quota bill falls short in Lok Sabha, and delimitation now looks harder

The Centre’s women’s reservation push hit a major roadblock in the Lok Sabha after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed for passage. The vote count itself was stark: 298 MPs backed the bill while 230 voted against it. Two other bills linked to delimitation were not taken up after the first one lost support. That made the debate about more than just women’s representation. The government had tied the reservation plan to a wider delimitation exercise, which immediately turned the bill into a political flashpoint. Opposition parties argued that women’s quota should not be delayed by questions over how parliamentary and assembly seats are redrawn. The Centre, however, kept insisting that the exercise was in the national interest and that no region would be unfairly treated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier tried to allay concerns from southern states by saying there would be no injustice in seat allocation. But the vote showed how difficult it remains to turn the idea into a law that can clear Parliament. For readers, the key point is simple: this is not just about one bill. The failure has pushed delimitation, federal balance, and the timing of women’s reservation into the centre of a larger political battle that will likely continue beyond this session.