The government on Thursday introduced three major bills -- the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed legislation includes provisions to roll out women’s reservation from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and initiate a fresh delimitation exercise, which could alter constituency boundaries and increase the total number of seats in the Lower House.
However, the Opposition has voiced strong objections, particularly over the proposed redrawing of constituencies and the expansion of Lok Sabha seats, setting the stage for a contentious face-off in Parliament.
These will also include a bill on delimitation, which means the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats across states could be increased.
Based on estimated figures derived from the 2011 Census, Uttar Pradesh’s Lok Sabha seats could rise from 80 to 140. Out of these, around 46 seats are likely to be reserved for women.
In Maharashtra, the current 48 Lok Sabha seats may increase to 79, with about 26 seats expected to be reserved for women. Similarly, in Bihar, the number of seats could go up from 40 to 73, with 24 seats reserved for women. In Madhya Pradesh, Lok Sabha seats may increase from 29 to 51, including 17 reserved for women.
In Gujarat, the number of seats could rise from 26 to 43, with 14 reserved for women. Rajasthan may see an increase from 25 to 48 seats, with 16 constituencies likely to be reserved for women.
In Jharkhand, seats could increase from 14 to 23, with around 8 reserved for women. Looking at the past five general elections, 45 women MPs were elected in 2004, 59 in 2009, 62 in 2014, 78 in 2019, and 74 in 2024. This number could rise significantly to around 281 by 2029.
: How US Blockade Of Strait Of Hormuz Will Hurt India More?
The three bills the government is expected to introduce include the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.
Meanwhile, leaders of the INDIA bloc have decided to oppose all three bills, while the BJP-led NDA has urged all parties to avoid politicising the issue and support their passage.
