Parliament 3-day special session from April 16 to pass women's quota bills

A special session of Parliament will be convened for three days beginning April 16 to pass key Constitution amendment bills aimed at increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816, enabling the implementation of the women’s reservation law at the earliest.

According to sources, the two Houses will meet on April 16, 17 and 18, with three sittings planned during the period. The current Budget Session, which was scheduled to adjourn sine die on April 2, will not be adjourned indefinitely, allowing it to reconvene for the special legislative business.

The government is keen on moving forward with the proposed legislation, including amendments linked to the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, to operationalise women’s reservation. The bills are likely to be introduced first in the Lok Sabha.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha that the House would meet again soon to consider an important bill, adding that the government has already shared its plans with opposition parties.

The move, however, has triggered sharp political reactions. Leader of the House, JP Nadda, defended the government’s prerogative to decide the timing of legislation, while Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Centre of acting like a “bully” and attempting to derive political mileage from the issue.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the government is pushing the bill during the election season to gain electoral advantage, arguing that an all-party meeting should be held after April 29 when polling concludes in several states. He also questioned the shift in the government’s stance on linking implementation to the Census and delimitation.

Rijiju rejected the allegations, stating that the government is fulfilling its commitment to women and urging parties not to politicise the issue.

Other opposition leaders also raised concerns. AAP’s Sanjay Singh accused the government of politicising the matter, while NCP (SCP) MP Fauzia Khan sought clarity on reservation in the Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils. RJD MP Manoj Jha questioned whether sub-quotas for SC, ST and OBC women would be ensured.

The Congress has also claimed that increasing Lok Sabha seats by nearly 50 per cent could disadvantage smaller states in the South, Northeast and West, though there has been no official confirmation from the government on these concerns.

The development comes amid ongoing elections in several states, including Puducherry, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, adding to the political significance of the proposed legislative push.

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