131st Amendment Bill Fails to Secure Required Majority in Parliament
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, did not pass in the Lok Sabha, lacking the required two-thirds majority. The bill aimed to increase the House from 543 to 850 seats to ensure 33% reservation for women by the 2029 elections. It received 298 votes in favour, while 230 MPs from the Opposition voted against it. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of focusing on attacking Congress during his speech, mentioning the party 59 times while addressing women's issues only briefly. Kharge also raised concerns about the misuse of official machinery ahead of upcoming Assembly elections and called for immediate implementation of the women's reservation law. He claimed the BJP has been anti-women in action and attitude, citing various incidents as evidence.
Published 3 days ago • 18 Apr 2026, 12:56 AM IST