A three-day special sitting of Parliament began 
with the government tabling key legislation to implement women’s reservation and undertake a fresh delimitation exercise. The proposed package includes the Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country was set to take a “historic step” toward women’s empowerment through the implementation of 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The draft proposals circulated earlier this week envisage expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to up to 850 seats following a new delimitation exercise based on the latest census data. State Assemblies are also expected to be enlarged to accommodate the reservation quota.However, the move has triggered strong opposition. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin publicly protested by burning a copy of the Delimitation Bill, alleging it could disadvantage southern states. Meanwhile, leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, announced a unified stance against the delimitation provisions, while reiterating support for women’s reservation.Debate on the bills is expected to be intense, with both sides emphasizing the long-term political and federal implications of the proposed reforms.
