The proposed constitutional amendment linked to the women’s reservation framework was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday after the government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority.
A total of 298 members voted in favour of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, while 230 opposed it. Announcing the result, Speaker Om Birla said the bill could not pass as it fell short of the special majority threshold.
“The bill did not pass as it did not achieve a two-thirds majority during voting in the House,” Birla stated before adjourning proceedings.
Following the setback, the government decided not to move forward with two related legislations — the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed that both bills would no longer be pursued.
The vote came after two days of intense debate, with key leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi participating in the discussions.
While the ruling NDA strongly backed the proposal, arguing it would ensure 33% reservation for women, the Opposition questioned its intent. Rahul Gandhi said the bill had “nothing to do with women empowerment.”
The defeat followed coordinated efforts by Opposition parties, with Rahul Gandhi reaching out to Abhishek Banerjee to consolidate votes against the motion.
BJP Slams Opposition
The Bharatiya Janata Party sharply criticised the Opposition after the bill’s defeat. Amit Shah termed the outcome an “insult to Nari Shakti,” accusing parties like Congress, TMC, DMK, and Samajwadi Party of blocking a key reform.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also hit out at the Opposition, saying their stance reflected “consistent resistance to women’s advancement,” and asserted that the bill aimed to enhance women’s participation in national development.
Following the vote, a meeting of NDA floor leaders was convened in Parliament. Senior leaders including JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Meghwal, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan were in attendance, along with BJP national president Nitin Nabin.
Other alliance leaders present included Shrikant Shinde, Anupriya Patel, Jayant Chaudhary, H D Deve Gowda, and Upendra Kushwaha.
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