Women’s Reservation Bill fails in Lok Sabha as government falls short of two-thirds majority

The bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the threshold needed for a constitutional amendment.

Following the setback, two related bills — including one on delimitation and another proposing an increase in Lok Sabha seats — were not put to a vote.

The government maintained that these measures were “intrinsically linked” to the women’s reservation proposal.

The debate in the Lok Sabha stretched late into Thursday night and resumed on Friday, with the government making a strong case for the legislation.

Government’s stand

Leading the charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged MPs to rise above political differences and support the bill.

“Do not see this from a political lens; this is in national interest,” he said, assuring that southern states would not face any injustice due to the proposed increase in seats.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed the sentiment, stating that the representation of southern states would be protected or may even see a marginal increase if the Lok Sabha expands from 543 to around 816 seats.

Both leaders accused the Opposition of obstructing a historic opportunity to ensure women’s representation.

Opposition’s criticism

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi strongly opposed the bill, particularly its linkage with delimitation.

“This is not a women’s bill… it is an attempt to change the country’s electoral map, using women as a cover,” he alleged.

He further claimed that the move was aimed at bypassing a caste census and limiting representation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

What happens next

With the bill failing to pass, the future of women’s reservation — especially in its current linked form with delimitation — remains uncertain, setting the stage for a renewed political battle over representation, census data, and electoral boundaries.