Modi Govt Fails To Pass Women's Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha
The women’s reservation bill proposed by Narendra Modi’s government failed to pass in Parliament after falling short of the required majority, triggering a sharp political clash with the opposition le
In a rare setback for the NDA government led by Narendra Modi, a key bill failed to pass in Parliament—marking the first such defeat since 2014.
The bill aimed to implement 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies from 2029, alongside a major delimitation exercise that could expand Lok Sabha seats from 543 to nearly 850.
After a heated 12-hour debate on April 16, the proposal fell short during voting the next day—securing only 298 votes, well below the 360 needed.
The opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, questioned the intent behind the bill, arguing it links women’s representation with delimitation and sidesteps issues like caste census and OBC representation.
Some leaders also called it a political move ahead of key elections.
Responding to the setback, Modi apologised to the nation’s women, blaming “party politics” for derailing the bill, while the BJP accused opposition parties of blocking progress.
With talks of renewed pressure on the government to pass the law without linking it to delimitation, the political battle is far from over.
