Government planning special Session to clear Delimitation Bill; Congress calls it a ‘bluster’

Representational image of a Special session of Parliament. File | Photo Credit: PTI

The government is mulling a plan to convene a ‘special’ Session of Parliament to attempt to pass the Delimitation Bill, 2026, linked, as per the government, to operationalising the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023.

Sources in the government said the Centre is confident of the numbers, of having “at least 15-16 more votes than needed”, but did not disclose the dates or duration of the proposed Session.

The government needs 361 votes to secure a two-thirds majority to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill. The House of 543 has three vacancies.

The proposed amendment to the Delimitation Bill seeks to increase the Lok Sabha strength from 543 seats to a maximum of 850, paving the way for the implementation of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies. This will be based on the 2011 Census.

The government’s proposed move comes after a similar Constitution Amendment Bill failed to secure the required numbers in the Lok Sabha during a special sitting of the Budget Session on April 17.

The possibility of convening Parliament on short notice remains alive as the Monsoon Session, during which both Houses were adjourned sine die (for an indefinite period) on August 13, has not yet been prorogued. The Session has remained unprorogued for 91 days now, breaking the previous record of 87 days set in 2008.

An extended sitting of the existing Session requires a minimum two-day notice, while convening a fresh Session needs at least 14 days’ notice.

In its discussions with Opposition parties, especially from South India, in April, the government had said that it proposed to increase the Lok Sabha seats for all States by 50% to maintain the existing inter-State seat ratios based on the 1971 Census. The proposal sought to assuage concerns of the southern States, as the government wanted to operationalise the women’s reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls. The Delimitation Bill circulated in April did not have this amendment, but there is now talk that an amendment to increase seats in States by 50% may be made.

Reacting to the reports of the special session, Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said Home Minister Amit Shah has revived the “delimitation plantation” while talking informally to a group of journalists.

He claimed that Mr. Shah has said that the Bills will be passed by a 15-18 vote margin, but that will not happen.

“He [Mr. Shah] had said the same thing seven months earlier, but on April 17 faced a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha by a decisive margin, falling short by over 50 votes. He is the master of bluff and bluster. His bulldozer did not work then and will not work again,” Mr. Ramesh said.

Published - November 12, 2026 09:01 pm IST