Centre Plans Special Parliament Session to Push Women's Reservation Bill, Eyes 850 Lok Sabha Seats

The new Parliament House in New Delhi. The government is planning a special session of Parliament to pass a Constitution amendment bill linked to women's reservation. (Photo: PIB / Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, GODL-India)

The Union government is planning to convene a special session of Parliament to pass a Constitution amendment bill that would finally put the 33 per cent women's reservation law into action — by expanding the Lok Sabha from 543 seats to a maximum of 850 through delimitation. Government sources say they are confident of winning the vote by a margin of 15 to 18 votes, though the dates and duration of the proposed session have not been disclosed.

What the Amendment Proposes

The proposed amendment seeks to raise the strength of the Lok Sabha from the present 543 seats to a maximum of 850 through delimitation, the redrawing of constituency boundaries. Once the House is expanded, 33 per cent of seats would be reserved for women in Parliament and state legislative assemblies. The government also proposes to increase Lok Sabha seats in every state by 50 per cent, a move aimed at addressing concerns raised by southern states that fear losing representation in the delimitation exercise. The stated aim is to implement the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary elections.

The Numbers Game in the Lok Sabha

A Constitution amendment bill needs a two-thirds majority to pass — 361 votes in the 543-member Lok Sabha, which currently has three vacancies. Government sources have expressed confidence that the bill will clear the House by 15 to 18 votes, though they have not revealed how the numbers will be secured. The push 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 Congress has dismissed the government's plan as a "bluster", questioning both its timing and intent.

Why a Session Can Be Called at Short Notice

The possibility of convening Parliament at short notice remains open because the Monsoon Session, during which both Houses were adjourned sine die on August 13, has not yet been prorogued. The session has now remained unprorogued for 91 days, breaking the previous record of 87 days set in 2008. Because the session technically continues, the government can reconvene the House quickly. Government sources, however, have cautioned that the proposal is one of the formulations under consideration and no final decision has been taken yet.

Why Delimitation Is the Key to Women's Reservation

The Women's Reservation Act, passed in 2023 as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, promises one-third of seats for women — but it can only come into force after a census and delimitation. That is why the seat-expansion bill is the key that unlocks the law. Supporters say a larger House with reserved seats would transform women's representation in Indian politics, bringing more women into the rooms where laws are made. Critics, meanwhile, ask why the government waited so long and whether the claimed numbers will actually hold on the floor of the House.

If the special session is called and the bill passes, India could be heading for its biggest redrawing of parliamentary seats in decades — and the first Lok Sabha in which one in every three MPs is a woman. For now, all eyes are on the government to announce the dates and prove that it has the votes. What do you think — should the Lok Sabha expand to 850 seats to make women's reservation a reality? Share your view in the comments.