No to Women’s Bill

Rejection of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — which is designed to en force women’s reservation — definitely marks a pivotal moment in Indian parliamentary history, highlighting profound political, structural, and federal concerns. While framed as a measure for women’s empowerment, the opposition to this specific bill was driven by its complex linkage to delimitation and the indefinite delay in its implementation, which the government failed to carry through. According to reports as of April 18, 2026, the Congress-led INDI bloc has been held responsible by government officials for the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, also known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, in the Lok Sabha. According to reports, the legislation failed to pass because it did not secure the required two-thirds majority (352 votes) in the Lok Sabha, with 298 voting in favour and 230 against. The Congress-led INDI bloc opposed the bill due to its direct link to the delimitation process based on the 2011 Census, arguing that this approach was a “hollow attempt” and a pretext to redraw electoral maps rather than focus on immediate empowerment. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju has described the failure as a “big blow to the country” and blamed the Opposition for blocking a “historic” measure. He has also accused Congress and its allies of engaging in “politics over progress”. Looking at the historical context, one would find that the BJP-led government passed the 2023 version of the bill, but the 2026 amendment was intended to operationalise it. This attempt was opposed by Congress and other parties, including the TMC, on grounds of the delayed implementation and the nature of the delimitation exercise, which they argued would undermine fair representation and the timely enactment of the women’s reservation policy. The rejection of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026—which aimed to implement 33% women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029— in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, has significant political and legislative consequences. The failure indicates that Parliament will not implement the proposed 33% reservation for women by 2029. This failure in turn will prolong the current under-representation of women, which is currently only 12% in Lok Sabha.