Women Reservation Bill 2026: Regarding the Women’s Reservation Bill to be brought during the current budget session, the Central Government on Tuesday shared the draft of Bill 2026 making the 131st amendment in the Constitution with the MPs. This is a proposed amendment to the Women’s Reservation Bill. Its objective is to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats. This will include members from states and union territories. Amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act will be introduced during the Parliament meeting this week. This is known as the Women’s Reservation Act. It will be implemented in 2029.
There is a provision to increase the number of members in the lower house of Parliament from the present 543 to 850. There are also preparations to bring the Union Territory Law (Amendment Bill) 2026. Law Minister Arjun Meghwal will present this bill. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the discussion on the bill in both the houses. Discussion and voting will take place in the Lok Sabha on 16 and 17 April. Discussion and voting will take place in Rajya Sabha on 18 April.
In such a situation, different types of reactions are being seen regarding this. Other parties of the country are reacting to this.
What did Union Minister Kiren Rijiju say?
On the Women’s Reservation Bill, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has said that the government is bringing the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Act in this session. This is not just a government bill. This is the bill of all parties and the entire country. Women of the country are going to get seats in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly. This cannot be an issue of any one party.
He said that PM Modi has thanked that every political party had got it passed last time. This time also the bill they are bringing is not a BJP-NDA bill. They are bringing this bill on behalf of the entire party. I have talked to the leaders of all the parties. We also held a meeting with some opposition parties. I thank everyone wholeheartedly. I hope all parties will pass this bill unanimously.
Congress bid said, ‘The intention of the bill is mischievous – misleading
Regarding the bill brought by the government to implement women’s reservation, Congress said that when the intention of a bill is mischievous and its content is misleading, then parliamentary democracy suffers a lot. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on social media platform ‘X’ that when the intention behind a bill is mischievous and its content is misleading, the extent of damage to parliamentary democracy is very high.
What did Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal say?
Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal said on Tuesday that BJP does not do anything without political purpose. They will not bring any bill unless it benefits them politically. Article 334-A was introduced in the 106th Constitutional Amendment Bill. It says that the Women’s Reservation Act will be implemented after 2026, after the census and delimitation. He said that it was passed unanimously in the Parliament. Said that now he has decided to amend it. They are not saying what changes they want. They decided in 2023 that this would be done after census and delimitation. Now they say they want a change in this.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin issued warning video
Stalin warned in a video message that if any step was taken that would harm the state or disproportionately increase the political power of the northern states in the delimitation, there would be massive agitation in Tamil Nadu. This will bring the entire state to a standstill. There will be protests with full force. Without consulting not only the DMK but any political party or any state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Center is trying to take action unilaterally.
He said that we do not even know how this process of delimitation will be completed. No clarification has been given yet regarding the proposed constitutional amendment. Stalin said that when secrecy is maintained in the process, it increases the possibility of serious danger. He said that the people of southern states are deeply worried. Referring to the Parliament session on April 16, the DMK leader said that it was forcibly called amid the elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. He alleged that in this session the Central Government intends to forcefully pass the constitutional amendment on delimitation. He claims that the central government wants to impose its decision on the southern states including Tamil Nadu.
Revanth Reddy also cornered the Central Government in the delimitation issue.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has accused the Central Government regarding delimitation in Hyderabad that if adequate number of seats are not increased, then women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the southern states will have to face injustice. He said that Prime Minister Modi is allegedly trying to increase the number of seats in Uttar Pradesh or Gujarat at the expense of the southern states. They do not deny that if the seats are increased on a proportional basis, the representation of women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the northern states will benefit.
Reddy said that if the total number of Lok Sabha seats is increased by 50 per cent on a proportional basis, the Lok Sabha seats in Kerala will increase from 20 to 30 and in Uttar Pradesh from 80 to 120. He questioned that if 30 seats are increased in any northern state, then reservation for Dalits and Scheduled Tribes may increase there. I don’t deny it. But won’t Dalits, Scheduled Tribes and women be harmed by reducing seats in southern states?
Reddy said Congress has no objection to the proposed bill to provide reservation for women in Parliament. His government will be ready to pass a law on women’s quota in the Assembly.
Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena also reacted
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena on Tuesday supported the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, calling it a historic step. The party said that this Act will pave the way for the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and Assemblies and usher in a golden chapter in Indian democracy.
Also read:
‘Tamil Nadu will not remain silent’, Stalin’s open warning to Modi government on delimitation, said- every family will take to the streets