Special session on the cards as Centre says it has the numbers to deliver 33% reservation
NEW DELHI : The Narendra Modi government is gearing up for another decisive attempt to give women their legislative due. The Centre is considering a special session of Parliament to pass the Constitutional amendment bill that would operationalise 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.
Government sources said they are confident the bill will clear the Lok Sabha by a margin of 15 to 18 votes, though dates and duration of the session are yet to be disclosed.
The numbers game
The government needs at least 361 votes for the two-thirds majority. The House has a sanctioned strength of 543, with three seats vacant. The bill proposes raising the strength to a maximum of 850 through delimitation, making room for women’s quota without taking seats from sitting members.
The push follows a setback. On April 17, the earlier amendment bill got 298 votes in favour and 230 against, short of the required two-thirds. Yet sources say the government has used the months since to build support. The goal has stayed constant. The Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 was passed unanimously, but its quota is tied to the census and delimitation.
Parliament can move quickly. The Monsoon Session, adjourned sine die on August 13, has not been prorogued, a record 91 days against 87 in 2008. An extended sitting within it needs just two days’ notice, while a fresh session needs 14.
