Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Special session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Thursday | Photo Credit: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday allayed concerns of the Opposition as he gave a “guarantee” that the three Bills aimed at advancing 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies — based on the 2011 Census — would not lead to any “discrimination” or “injustice” to the southern States.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 were introduced in the Lok Sabha amid strong protests from Opposition members, prompting a division of votes. The legislation secured 251 votes in favour and 185 against its introduction.

The delimitation exercise is to ensure that the 33 per cent women’s reservation does not reduce the number of seats available to general candidates.

Intervening in the debate, the PM urged members not to politicise the issue and to support the legislation unanimously. “Today, with all sincerity I want to say in this Parliament that this decision-making process will not discriminate between South or North and among bigger or smaller States. This decision-making process will not do injustice against anyone. The proportion on the basis of which the delimitation has taken place in the past will not be changed and the increase in the seats will also be corresponding,” he said.

Amit Shah clarifies

Home Minister Amit Shah stood up twice during the day to clarify the Opposition’s repeated charge of discrimination against five southern States. He shared comparative data of existing strength and proposed increase in seats in each of the five southern States — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala — to counter what he insisted was a narrative being peddled by the Opposition.

According to him, as of now a total of 129 MPs represent southern States in the Lok Sabha, accounting for 23.76 per cent of the total 543 members. This will go up to 195 in a House of 815 if the three Bills are passed raising seats proportionally in each State by 50 per cent, with a corresponding minor increase in percentage to 23.87, he added.

Intent questioned

Opposition members questioned the timing and intent of the legislation, arguing that promises of a proportionate increase in seats across States were not backed by explicit provisions in any of the three pieces of legislation.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said what the BJP is doing is a repeat of how it arbitrarily carved up seats in Assam, divided the constituencies of opposition leaders, and drew up new boundaries for their own benefit.

“This Bill proposes a 50 per cent expansion of Parliament, yet there isn’t a single word regarding any concrete procedure for it. It is astonishing that in the entire bill, there is not one word about what the rules for such a massive transformation will be. Despite the hollow assurances of the PM and other ministers, it is certain that through this bill, the weight of the States in Parliament will be diminished,” she said.

DMK MPs wore black clothes in the Lok Sabha to protest the amendments. “We favour the 2023 women’s quota law, but the present Bill is aimed at delimitation,” DMK’s T R Baalu said.

Published on April 16, 2026