Page 2 - Lok Sabha

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

PM Modi to address Lok Sabha at 3 pm today as key Bills introduced

The opposition has raised concerns over the proposed changes, particularly the plan to redraw constituencies and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from the current 543 to a maximum of 850

Govt tables bills to tweak women quota law, set up delimitation panel

The government has introduced bills on women's quota and delimitation in Lok Sabha, proposes increasing seats to 850; Opposition protests, calling the move 'anti-constitutional'

How delimitation could shift India's fiscal balance and growth model

Seat redistribution through delimitation could reshape India's fiscal balance, affecting how funds are distributed and how states negotiate resources

Bills on women's quota, delimitation to be introduced in Lok Sabha today

Opposition parties said on Wednesday that fully support early implementation of women's reservation but expressed firm opposition to the Delimitation Bill

Women's quota Bill faces hurdle as Opposition flags delimitation concerns

Opposition cries gerrymander as delimitation debate intensifies

BJD raises delimitation concerns, backs it if Odisha rights intact

BJD has flagged risks to Odisha's political representation under delimitation, while stating it will support the move if the state's rights are fully protected

Women’s Reservation Act: How India is moving to finally implement it

After passing the Women’s Reservation Act in 2023, why is the 33% quota for women still not implemented? With the Union Cabinet clearing new Bills ahead of Parliament’s April 16 session

Constitutional Amendment Bill proposes to expand LS seats from 543 to 850

The Bill proposes to amend Article 81 to allow for not more than 815 members from states and up to 35 from Union Territories, taking the Lok Sabha's total strength to 850

Women's Reservation Act will fulfil future resolutions, says PM Modi

Ahead of a special Parliament session, PM Modi termed amendments to fast-track Women's Reservation Act implementation by 2029 as a key reform and urged Opposition support

Pass women's quota Bill in 'one voice': PM to Parliament floor leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the time has come for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act in its true spirit and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with the quota for women in place. In a letter to the flood leaders of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ahead of the three-day special sittings of Parliament, Modi also asked all members to come together in one voice to pass the amendments to the women's reservation law, officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. "After extensive deliberations, we have reached the conclusion that the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country. "It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with women's reservation in place," the Prime Minister said in his letter dated April 11. The Budget Session of Parliament has been extended, and a special three-day sitting of the House has been convened on Apri

Oppn notices on motion to remove CEC rejected by RS Chairman, LS Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Monday rejected separate notices from the opposition to move a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post. The opposition had submitted notices to the Lok Sabha speaker and the Rajya Sabha chairman against the CEC, alleging "partisan and discriminatory conduct in office", "deliberate obstruction of investigation of electoral fraud" and "mass disenfranchisement" among other charges. In separate orders, the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman refused to admit the notices moved under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, read with other relevant constitutional and statutory provisions, praying for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner. "After due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested to him under Section 3 of

Weapon of mass distraction: Cong slams PM's push for increasing seats of LS

The Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats, saying he is "bulldozing" the move that will work more to the benefit of larger and populous states and is nothing but a "Weapon of Mass Distraction (WMD)". The opposition party also alleged that the prime minister is "hoodwinking" the people of the country and is making misleading statements that are meant to deceive. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The PM is upto his usual tricks of making misleading statements that are meant to deceive. He says South Indian states will not be hurt in any way if the strength of the Lok Sabha is increased by 50% and the number of seats of each state in the Lok Sabha is also increased by 50%." "This is hoodwinking the people of the country in which the PM has unique expertise," Ramesh said. For example, the difference between UP's and Kerala's seats in the Lok Sabha

Congress will repeal CAPF legislation when it comes to power: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the government is bent on legally perpetuating the injustice of discrimination against Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) jawans through a bill, and asserted that his party will repeal such a "discriminatory law" when it comes to power. The Leader of Opposition said he wanted to speak on the bill in Lok Sabha and had requested the government to make adjustments as he was touring Assam but it refused as it "does not want me to speak on this in Parliament". "But I want to tell all the paramilitary forces -- CRPF, BSF, CISF and ITBP -- that the Congress is standing with them and will protect them," Gandhi said in a video statement. Gandhi' remarks came a day after the Rajya Sabha passed the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, with a voice vote amid an Opposition walkout. The bill is listed for being taken up in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. In his video statement, Gandhi recalled that he recently met Assistant ...

Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill to change 784 provisions

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend certain provisions in different laws for decriminalising and rationalising minor offences to further promote ease of doing business and living. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, was passed with a voice vote. The bill proposes to amend 784 provisions of 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries. It seeks to decriminalise 717 provisions and amend 67 provisions to facilitate ease of living. It also seeks to rationalise more than 1,000 offences, removing outdated and redundant provisions, thereby improving the overall regulatory environment. Replying to the debate on the bill, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said it will help people and MSMEs. Amendments moved by Congress member K Kavya were rejected by voice vote.

Census 2027 will inform policy, but it could also reshape India's politics

The Census exercise will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will be a house-listing and housing Census, which will be conducted between April and September over a period of 30 days

After Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha committee to study MCA's subordinate rules

Lok Sabha panel meets MCA officials to review rules and regulations, following Rajya Sabha scrutiny of commitment provisions under the Competition Act

Lok Sabha passes Bill to recognise Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh's capital

A bill seeking to recognise Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, with the Congress, the BJP as well as the TDP expressing support for it. The bill, which will scuttle any future bid to alter the decision of making Amaravati the sole and permanent capital, was passed in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote. Initiating the debate on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in Lok Sabha, Congress member Manickam Tagore said the Congress fully supports the legislation but wants according of special status to Andhra Pradesh, which is the successor state of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh following the creation of Telangana. "Let Amaravati develop like Bangalore, Chennai or Hyderabad. Let Vishakhapatnam, Tirupati, Kurnool also develop. We support Amaravati as the permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh," he said. Participating in the debate, TDP member and Union Minister of State for Rural Development and ...