Lok Sabha

Datanomics: Women's work remains largely unpaid in India's labour market

Women remain concentrated in unpaid helper roles and self-employment, with limited access to regular salaried jobs, mainly in rural areas

Key Constitution Amendment Bills since 2014: A look at how they fared

Shifting numbers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha reshape NDA's strategy, as constitutional amendment Bills face tougher passage despite earlier dominance

StatsGuru: Women's fair political representation still a far cry

Parliament rejects 33% women's reservation Bill, as data shows persistently low representation of women in legislatures despite gains at grassroots levels

Bill of contention: Failure highlights lack of consensus-building

Women's quota Bill defeat exposes political mistrust and flaws in linking reservation to delimitation, raising questions over consensus and timing

Rushed laws, reduced debate: Is Parliament losing its deliberative core?

Fewer sittings, rushed laws and shrinking debate raise concerns that Parliament's deliberative role is weakening amid rising disruptions and reduced scrutiny

Voters rationalisation: Lok Sabha seats with highest and lowest numbers

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pushed for rationalisation of the number of voters in every constituency, saying MPs from seats with a large electorate cannot fulfil their aspirations. Urging the opposition to support the passage of a bill to implement a 33 per cent quota for women in legislatures in 2029, Shah had said in the Lok Sabha on Friday that the delimitation exercise was essential to rationalise the number of voters in every constituency as it was essential to implement in its true spirit the idea of "one person, one vote". Citing the example of Malkajgiri in Telangana, he had said that this Lok Sabha seat had more than 20 lakh voters and the MPs from such constituencies could not cater to the aspirations of such a large voter base. Here is a look at the Lok Sabha seats with the highest and the lowest number of voters during the 2024 parliamentary polls. According to the Election Commission's data of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, there are five constituencies, including Wes

Govt issues FAQs to counter Opposition's claim on Women's reservation Bill

The government on Sunday came out with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the reservation for women in legislatures following the defeat of a Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha that seeks to provide 33 per cent quota for women in the Lower House and state assemblies. The FAQs came amid the Opposition's claim that in the name of women quota, the government was trying to carry out delimitation on its own will based on 2011 census. Here are the FAQs:- 1. Which Bills were introduced by the central government in the Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026? A:- On April 16, the central government introduced three key Bills in the Lok Sabha: The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, The Delimitation Bill, 2026 and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. 2. Why were these three Bills brought at this point in time? A:- The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', commonly known as the Women Reservation Act, provides that reservation for women

Women's dreams crushed: PM seeks 'forgiveness' for Nari Shakti bill failure

In his televised address, PM Modi said he had expected the Opposition to support the bill, but added that the Congress "repeated its history of not supporting the Bill"

Noble effort derailed: PM Modi hits out at DMK, Cong on Women's quota Bill

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government's women's reservation bill was a noble effort that got 'derailed' due to the DMK and Congress which made it a "target of hatred and petty politics." Especially targeting the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu and the Congress over the amendment bill being defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday, the PM asked, "Why does it trouble DMK, Congress to see ordinary women rise." He said he had personally appealed to the opposition parties to support the bill and even offered to give them credit as "I only wanted sisters from ordinary families to come to parliament, assemblies in good numbers." "But unfortunately, this noble effort got derailed. DMK, Congress and their allies made it a target of hatred and petty politics," he charged. Had this bill been passed, many Tamil women from ordinary families would have become MPs and MLAs. Based on 2011 census, Tamil Nadu was going to get so many more seats in Lok Sabha, "but clearly DMK didn't want t

PM Modi to address nation at 8:30 pm, day after women's quota Bill defeat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM, a day after a bill to implement women's reservation in legislatures was defeated in the Lok Sabha. "The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said. Modi is expected to delve into the issue of implementation of women's quota and the happenings in Parliament, where opposition parties on Friday voted against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill. Under the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill but the ruling BJP-led alliance could not muster the numbers. During polling on the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday ni

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned sine die, Budget session concludes

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Saturday, drawing curtains on the Budget session that began in January. As soon as the House met at 11 am, Speaker Om Birla read out his concluding remarks, following which he adjourned the House sine die (for an indefinite period). The session concluded a day after a Constitution amendment bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029 by increasing the number of seats in the Lower House from 543 to 816 was defeated by a division of votes. A three-day sitting of Parliament was held from April 16 to discuss and pass the bill along with two other enabling draft laws.

A divided House: Bill to implement women's quota fails Lok Sabha test

Government fails to secure two-thirds majority as Opposition rejects compromise; related delimitation and UT bills withdrawn after defeat

Nari Shakti Amendment Bill fails two-thirds vote test, defeated in Lok Sabha

Out of 489 members present, 278 voted in favour, while 211 voted against the proposed amendment

Opposition is not against quota law, but against women's reservation: Shah

The home minister said the Constitution provides for periodic delimitation and that includes provisions for increasing the SC and ST seats in proportion to their growing population

'An attempt to change electoral map': Rahul Gandhi on Delimitation bill

Rahul Gandhi alleged delimitation is an attempt to redraw India's electoral map, warns it could reduce representation of some states; govt hits back, calls remarks 'misleading'

No discrimination against any state under women quota Bills, says PM

PM Modi and HM Shah defend women's quota amendments in Lok Sabha, reject Opposition claims of bias against southern states and warn against blocking the legislation

PM allays delimitation fears, says 'no injustice' will be done to any state

As Parliament debates women's reservation, PM Modi says those opposing the bill will pay a long-term price, urging all parties to support greater role for women in policymaking

Lok Sabha's strength to expand to 815 seats, 272 for women: Meghwal

The strength of the Lok Sabha will increase to 815, of which 272 seats will be reserved for women and neither men nor any state will suffer any loss due to the implementation of this quota, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said on Thursday. In his introductory remarks in the Lok Sabha on the three bills moved to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission, Meghwal also said that 272 seats out of 815 in the House is the simple formula of reserving 33 per cent seats for women. "According to the women's reservation bill, the strength of the Lok Sabha will increase to 815, of which women's quota will be of 272 seats," the minister said. According to the proposed legislations, there will be an increase of 50 per cent in the current strength of the Lok Sabha. "Neither men nor any state will suffer any loss after the implementation of the women's quota," he said. Meghwal also said that there will be reservation for women belonging to SC and ST categories within t

Women quota law: Voting on 3 Bills in LS to be held at 4 PM on Friday

Voting on the three bills in Lok Sabha to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission will be held at 4 PM Friday, according to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Birla said there would be a debate of around 15-18 hours on the bills as voting would take place on 4 PM on Friday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested a 12-hour debate on the bills but said the decision to extend that would be taken by the Speaker. Earlier, Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Amit Shah moved to introduce three bills in Lok Sabha to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission amid protests by the opposition, which termed the proposed legislations anti-constitutional. 'The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026', 'The Delimitation Bill, 2026' and 'The Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2026' were introduced in the House. According to the draft Constitution amendment bill, Lok Sabha seats will be increased to a maximum o

Delimitation and proportionality: Why southern states are raising concerns

As the govt considers increasing Lok Sabha seats, concerns are rising in southern states that a population-based delimitation could reduce their share and alter India's federal balance