Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Thursday, though not sine die, as the government announced a special session to be convened from April 16 to 18 — a three-day window during which constitutional amendment bills to implement women's reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be taken up for passage.
The special session will comprise three sittings, one on each day, with the sole legislative agenda of passing the constitutional amendment bill that would give concrete shape to the long-pending Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, or the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, enacted in September 2023.
The proposed amendments seek to allow implementation without waiting for the delimitation exercise, which is currently scheduled for 2027–28. It shows the government's aim is to have women's reservation operational before the 2029 general elections.
To expand the Lok Sabha to 816 seats, amendments to multiple constitutional provisions would be required. Article 81(1), which currently caps the Lok Sabha at 550 members, would need to be amended, along with the provisos to Articles 82 and 170. The 106th Amendment's own commencement clause would also need rewriting.
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The announcement comes after considerable political back-and-forth. Opposition parties, including the Congress and several other parties, had written to the government demanding an all-party meeting before any constitutional amendment was introduced, requesting that a detailed note on the proposed changes be circulated in advance.
Passing the amendment will require a special majority in both Houses — a majority of the total membership and two-thirds of those present and voting.
If approved by Parliament, the changes could come into effect from March 31, 2029, and be implemented in the next general elections as well as in upcoming assembly polls in states such as Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh.
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