Parliament Special Session: Constitution Amendment Bill Fails to Pass Lok Sabha Test

Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day. The next meeting will be held on Saturday.

After the Women's Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju called it a “historically disheartening moment”. He added that the BJP government will keep fighting for women.

Constitution (131st Amendment) Amendment Bill has failed to pass in the Lok Sabha.  Out of 489 members who participated in the voting, 278 members voted in favour of the bill, and 211 members opposed the bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in the Parliament. Voting on three bills, including Women’s Reservation and Delimitation Bills, will be held shortly.

During a debate on the Women’s Reservation and Delimitation Bills in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah guaranteed that South representation will not come down after delimitation.

While addressing the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the caste-wise census process has already begun.

He added, “Its first phase is currently underway. Further phases will follow. And this issue should not be politicized. No government should try to gain political advantage using caste census slogans. This should not be broken or misused for political timing.”

Parliament Session LIVE: "My official amendment is ready and in my possession. I will have it photocopied and circulated to all members, as we need to increase the number of seats by fifty per cent. We have nothing to hide. We have no intention of engaging in any wrongdoing. Therefore, we will proceed with it," said Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Parliament Session LIVE: ’They have nothing to do with caste census; they are only interested in creating controversy, which is not going to happen.’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Parliament Session LIVE: "Give me an hour. I will return with an amendment citing 50% rise in seats for states," Amit Shah tells Opposition

Parliament Session LIVE: ‘If we implement women's reservation based on 543 seats, then 13 seats will get reserved for women, and 26 will remain open in Tamil Nadu. If we implement women's reservation based on the 2011 census, then the number of parliamentary seats will reduce by 6. But we are not doing so. We are increasing seats by 50% for every state’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Parliament Session LIVE: "No state, especially in the south, will face any loss. Every state will be represented fairly in the Parliament, whether it is Lakshadweep or Uttar Pradesh," said Union Minister Amit Shah.

Parliament Session LIVE: "I assure them that if they support us for delimitation, the value of each vote will have equal value across constituencies," said Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha.

Parliament Session LIVE: ‘Vajpayee Jee understood Congress more than us’: Amit Shah On Why Vajpayee Didn't Bring The Delimitation Bill.

Parliament Session LIVE: "The Opposition is spreading misinformation about the caste census," said Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Parliament Session LIVE: "The Opposition does not care about caste census. They want to confuse us. The Opposition wants to come back to power, but they can't do so," said Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Parliament Session LIVE: ‘It was the Congress party which deprived the people of the country of delimitation’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah questions.

Parliament Session LIVE: "We could not conduct a census in 2021, when it was actually due, as the country was facing the Covid-19 pandemic. When we wanted to do it in 2024, many sought a caste-based census. In 2025, we finally decided on a caste census," said Union Minister Amit Shah on the delay in conducting the census. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Rahul Gandhi must stop disrupting the parliament, says Union Minister Amit Shah.

Parliament Session LIVE: ‘Nearly 133 Members spoke in the House on this important Constitution Amendment Bill, out of which 56 Members were women, which will prove to be a record in itself’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah questions.

Parliament Session LIVE: "No one has objected to the women's reservation. But, if we look closely, all members of the INDI alliance have opposed it by using ifs and but, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah, replying to the debate on the Women's Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill in the Lok Sabha. 

Parliament Session LIVE: "There are 127 Lok Sabha seats where there are over 20 lakh voters. How can an MP deal with so many people and fulfil their needs?" questioned Union  Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Parliament Session LIVE: ‘No one has objected to the women's reservation. But, if we see closely, all members of the INDI alliance have opposed it by using 'ifs and buts’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Parliament Session LIVE: "People opposing delimitation are opposing the increase in SC/ST seats too," alleged Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Parliament Session LIVE: "The Opposition is against quota for women, not the bill's implementation," said Amit Shah ahead of key vote in Lok Sabha. 

Parliament Session LIVE: "Yesterday, the Prime Minister was low on energy. Suddenly, I noticed it was the 16th of April. My God, how crazy! The number: Sixteen," the Congress posted a clipping of Rahul Gandhi's speech on 'X'. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is going to address the Lok Sabha at 6 PM. He is expected to respond to the debate on the Women's Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill around 6 PM today. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Priyanka Jarkiholi said that delimitation would lead to a disproportionate negative impact on southern states, which will lose its representatives in the lower house. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju meets PM Narendra Modi ahead of the voting on the three bills in the Lok Sabha. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, speaking in the Lok Sabha, criticised the Opposition while backing the amendments to the women’s reservation law. She condemned the “unparliamentary expressions” used by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during his speech opposing the Bill.

Speaking in favour of the legislation, Ms. Devi alleged that the Opposition MPs’ attempts is breaking the hopes and expectations of crores of women who are looking forward to the 33% reservation.

On the issue of delimitation, she said Amit Shah will elaborate and clarify the details during his address in the Lok Sabha.

Parliament Session LIVE: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey attacks the Congress party, says April 17 was the day in 1987 when Rajiv Gandhi faced Bofors allegations for the first time. "April 17 was also the day when Congress brought down the Vajpayee government in 1999," he added. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Before concluding his speech in the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said that his party will defeat the delimitation bill.

Parliament Session LIVE: "What you are attempting to do is to take away the constitutional right from the people of India," says Rahul Gandhi

Parliament Session LIVE: There is a big confusion in the minds of the BJP. They think they are the people of India, and they are not the armed forces of India. Do not hide behind the people of India like cowards. We are not attacking the people of India," says LoP Rahul Gandhi. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju objects to remarks against the Prime Minister by Rahul Gandhi, calling them unparliamentary. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Apology from Rahul Gandhi

The BJP objects to LoP Rahul Gandhi's remarks on PM Modi and demands his apology. "People of India voted for PM Modi. Remarks against PM Modi are condemnable," says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Rijiju said that Gandhi had mocked Operation Sindoor and called it “magic”. He added that this is tantamount to mocking the country. Rijiju requested the Speaker to expunge the references from the proceedings, wondering what young Congress leaders would learn from the LoP. Speaker Om Birla said he has expunged the references from the proceedings.

Parliament Session LIVE: Rahul Gandhi: “The BJP knew that this Bill actually cannot be passed….this was a panic reaction, because the PM at any cost needed to send two messages: one, he needed to change the electoral map of India; two, he needed to send the message again — that he is pro-women.”

“Why he is doing that, I will leave it to your imagination. But the powers that be know exactly why he is doing it. The truth is the magician has been caught, the magician of Balakot, the magician of demonitisation, the magician of Sindoor, has suddenly got caught.”

Parliament Session LIVE: There is uproar in Lok Sabha as BJP leaders oppose Rahul Gandhi's remarks against PM. 

Parliament Session LIVE: During the Lok Sabha proceedings, Speaker Om Birla objected to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi using a “magician” analogy while speaking on the bill, asking him to focus on the legislation. Gandhi responded with a metaphorical reference to painting and storytelling, saying it would ultimately fit into his argument, while Birla reiterated that the House must function within parliamentary decorum.

Parliament Session LIVE: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju intervened, saying that when the Congress ruled the country for 60 years, why did it not provide OBC reservation in the legislature? He charged that Rajiv Gandhi had opposed OBC reservation.

Parliament Session LIVE: “Everyone here has been influenced by women – mothers, sisters, wives, as Rijiju ji said. The Prime Minister and I don’t have wife issues. My sister did yesterday what I have never been able to do – making Mr Amit Shah smile”: Rahul Gandhi.

Parliament Session LIVE: Congress Leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has begun addressing the Lok Sabha on delimitation and women’s quota Bills.

Parliament Session LIVE: "I would say to all the MPs…Listen to your conscience, remembering the mother, sister, daughter, wife in your own home…This is a great opportunity to serve the nation's women's power, to pay homage to them. Do not deprive them of new opportunities. If this amendment is passed by consensus, the nation's women's power will be further strengthened… the country's democracy will be further strengthened. Come… let us together create history today. Give the women of India… the country's half population… their due rights," he said on X.

Parliament Session LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all MPs to support the push for implementing women’s reservation, saying crores of women are watching the intent and decisions of lawmakers. He said discussions on the amendments have addressed all concerns and misconceptions, and stressed that after decades of debate, it is time to ensure rightful representation for women as the Lok Sabha prepares to vote.

Parliament Session LIVE: “The government’s commitment to ensure women’s empowerment through delimitation is a facade," says SP MP Dimple Yadav as she equates the Centre to the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, who deceives the protagonist in the classic fairy tale.

Parliament Session Live: The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned and will reconvene on April 18, 2026, at 11.00 am

Parliament Session LIVE: TDP MP Krishna Devarayalu said the party will support both the Women’s Reservation Bill and the Delimitation Bill, citing assurances from the Centre. He said Home Minister Amit Shah has clarified that there will be a 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats for states, ensuring that no state will lose representation.

Parliament Session LIVE: Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rajiv Ranjan Singh questioned the opposition to the proposal, saying that if seats are increased by 50% and 33% are reserved for women, there should be no issue. He added that the debate over whether the exercise is based on the 2011 or 2026 census should not be a point of contention.

Parliament Session LIVE: Speaking in the Lok Sabha, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee demanded 50% reservation for women in the existing seats, urging the government to pass it with Opposition support. He also criticised the timing of the session, alleging it was convened during elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, and questioned whether the same would happen during polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Parliament Session LIVE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President Nitin Nabin, along with senior leaders Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Piyush Goyal are holding an important meeting on the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Parliament Session LIVE: "As far as delimitation is concerned, whatever the proposal by the government of India is perfect... In every state, there will be a 50% increase in the MP seats and assembly seats... It is unfortunate," he said while talking to reporters.

He further added, "Regarding Telangana, they are protesting against the statement of Tejasvi Surya; it is his opinion"

Parliament Session LIVE: Addressing the Lok Sabha on Women's Reservation Bill, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "Today, we stand at a threshold where there is remarkably a near unanimous political consensus in favour of women's reservation. Every major party in this house recognises that the time for tokenism is over and the era of equal partnership must begin. And yet I'm finding myself deeply perturbed by the legislative exercise before us. The Prime Minister says the government has brought 'Nari Shakti', a gift of justice, but he has wrapped it in barbed wire, tethering the implementation of women's reservation to the expansion of Parliament, to numbers from the 2011 census, and an exercise of delimitation."

Parliament Session LIVE: Shashi Tharoor addresses Lok Sabha, opposes women's reservation bill

Parliament Session LIVE: Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday called the delimitation process, increasing the number of seats in the Lok Sabha, an attack on the federal structure and the Constitution. 

Speaking to ANI, Manickam Tagore termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in the Lok Sabha a "jumla".

Parliament Session LIVE: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill is a procedural process and urged that it should not be politicised. 

He said the government is currently working on the required legal amendments and that the commencement notification was issued as part of implementing the law. 

Parliament Session LIVE: Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “On behalf of the House, I congratulate Harivansh Narayan Singh for being elected as the Deputy Chairman for the third time. This shows the House’s deep trust in you.”

Parliament Session LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha on Friday, participating in proceedings in the Upper House of Parliament. His remarks came amid ongoing debates on key legislative matters being discussed in the session.

Parliament Session LIVE: Harivansh Narayan Singh has been elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, following a formal selection in the Upper House.

Parliament Session LIVE: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha resume