Women's Reservation, Delimitation Bill: BJP MPs huddle at Shah's home

BJP MPs held a meeting at Amit Shah's residence to discuss strategy for the Women's Reservation and Delimitation Bills. The INDIA bloc also met, with opposition parties opposing the Delimitation Bill over fears of reduced southern representation.

As Parliament started discussion on the amendments to the Women's Reservation Act and the Delimitation Bill, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs on Friday held a meeting at Home Minister Amit Shah's residence.

Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attended the meeting to discuss the Amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill. BJP National President Nitin Nabin, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, BJP MP Arun Singh, and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice President Rekha Verma are in a meeting. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Union Minister of IT and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister Piyush Goyal also joined the meeting.

INDIA Bloc Chalks Out Strategy

Earlier today, the INDIA bloc MPs held a meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament at 10 am on Friday to chalk out the strategy for the Floor of the House. Congress leaders Kakoli Ghosh, Manickam Tagore, KC Venugopal, and P Chidambaram are ensuring the presence of all INDIA block MPs in the House, sources said.

Bills Under Discussion in Lok Sabha

According to the list of business, Lok Sabha is set to vote on the passing of the Constitutional amendments and the Delimitation bill, 2026. The Congress has issued a three-line whip for its MPs in the Lok Sabha to be present in the House for the special sitting from April 16 to 18 and support the party's stand.

Lok Sabha is continuing its discussion on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them up to 850.

Opposition Raises Concerns Over Delimitation

The government is planning to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.

However, the Opposition MPs have raised concerns over the constitutional amendment to conduct the delimitation and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 850, based on the 2011 census. The opposition alleged that the proposed legislation would shrink the representation of southern states in the House.

Opposition parties have said they are in favour of early implementation of the Women's Reservation Act but are strongly opposed to the Delimitation Bill.

Asserting that DMK always supported the Women's Reservation Bill, Congress leader Karti Chidambaram said that "bringing the delimitation Bill as a facade" and bulldozing the other bill is a "matter of concern" and they are opposing only that.

Speaking to reporters from the Parliament premises, he said, "DMK has always supported the Women's Reservation Bill, and we were the ones who had given the right for a property for women way back in 1989 and in the local board reservation, our present Chief Minister has given 50% reservation. So there is no doubt, doubt about that we offer it. But this manoeuvring, or this making, bringing the delimitation in the gar of the women's reservation, well, having this as a facade and bulldozing the other bill, that is a matter of concern, and we are opposing only that." (ANI)

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