New Delhi: A special session of Parliament on Thursday is expected to witness a sharp political showdown as the Centre introduces three major bills linked to women’s reservation and the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies.
The government is set to table the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies from the 2029 general elections.
The Constitution Amendment Bill also proposes a major expansion in the strength of the Lok Sabha, increasing the maximum number of seats from the present 550 to 850, including 815 seats for states and 35 for Union Territories. The reservation for women would be implemented on the basis of the 2011 Census.
The most contentious proposal, however, is the Delimitation Bill, which provides for a fresh redistribution of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies across the country. Opposition parties fear that the exercise could alter the political balance by increasing the representation of northern states while reducing the relative share of southern states.
