What Happened
- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge convened a high-level meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in Delhi to discuss strategy on the Women's Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) and a proposed Delimitation Bill.
- The government is scheduled to hold a three-day special session of Parliament (April 16–18, 2026) to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 for its early implementation.
- The government also intends to introduce a Delimitation Bill proposing to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 — a prerequisite for operationalising women's reservation under the current law.
- Congress has issued a three-line whip for its Lok Sabha MPs to attend the special session, but the party expressed strong reservations about the government's approach to delimitation.
- Kharge warned that the proposed delimitation "could carry serious consequences," alleging the government seeks to rush it through without deliberation for political advantage.
- The opposition objects to delimitation being conducted before the 2027 Census, arguing new constituency boundaries should be based on updated population data rather than the 2011 Census.
- Congress has accused the government of attempting to create a North-South divide by increasing seats in populous northern states at the expense of southern states that achieved better population control.
Static Topic Bridges
The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 — Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, commonly called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or Women's Reservation Act, was passed in a special session of Parliament in September 2023 and received Presidential assent on September 29, 2023. It inserts Articles 330A and 332A into the Constitution, mandating reservation of not less than one-third of all seats in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies (including Delhi), and within the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and STs in these bodies. Crucially, the reservation comes into effect only after (1) the conclusion of the first census conducted after the commencement of this Act, and (2) a subsequent delimitation exercise based on that census data. This sequential conditionality has created the implementation delay being debated in April 2026.
- Constitutional amendment: 106th Amendment, 2023
- Articles inserted: 330A (Lok Sabha), 332A (State Assemblies), 239AA amendment (Delhi)
- Reservation: not less than one-third of total seats, including within SC/ST reserved seats
- Trigger: requires census + delimitation before implementation
- Sunset clause: reservation operative for 15 years from commencement
- Passed: Lok Sabha (September 20, 2023, 454–2); Rajya Sabha (September 21, 2023, unanimous)
Connection to this news: The government's proposed Amendment Bill seeks to remove or modify the census-dependent trigger to enable implementation before 2027 Census, which is the core legislative manoeuvre being debated in the special Parliament session.
Delimitation — Constitutional Provisions and Historical Context
Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and state assembly constituencies, typically following a census. It is carried out by an independent Delimitation Commission appointed under the Delimitation Act, 2002. The Constitution (Articles 82 and 170) mandates readjustment of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats after every census. However, the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) froze the number of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats at 1971 Census figures until 2001, later extended by the 84th Amendment (2001) to remain frozen until the first census after 2026. The rationale was to not penalise states that achieved better population control under family planning policies (a North-South equity concern).
- Constitutional basis: Articles 82 (Lok Sabha readjustment), 170 (state assembly readjustment)
- 42nd Amendment (1976): froze seat count at 1971 Census levels
- 84th Amendment (2001): extended freeze until first census after 2026
- Delimitation Commission Act, 2002: governs the process; commission's orders are final (not subject to judicial review)
- North-South concern: Southern states had slower population growth post-1971; redrawing based on 2011/2031 data would shift seats northward
- Proposed expansion: 543 → 816 Lok Sabha seats (as per current government proposal)
Connection to this news: The Delimitation Bill is inseparable from women's reservation implementation — the 106th Amendment makes delimitation a precondition. Congress's objection centers on using pre-Census 2027 data for this consequential exercise.
Parliament Special Sessions — Constitutional Framework
Under Article 85, Parliament must be summoned by the President on the advice of the Union Cabinet; there is no fixed schedule mandated by the Constitution. Sessions of Parliament are: Budget Session (February–May), Monsoon Session (July–August), and Winter Session (November–December). The government may also call special sessions (as in September 2023 for the women's reservation bill, and now April 2026). The special session in April 2026 is being held as part of the ongoing Budget Session. Constitutional amendments under Article 368 require a special majority — two-thirds of members present and voting in each House, and this majority must also constitute an absolute majority of the total House membership.
- Article 85: President summons, prorogues, and dissolves the Lok Sabha (on Cabinet advice)
- Article 368: Constitutional amendment procedure — special majority in each House
- Whip: a directive from a parliamentary party to its members on voting; three-line whip is the strictest
- Three-line whip: requires mandatory attendance and vote as directed; breach can lead to disqualification
- Constitutional amendments: require special majority (2/3 of members present and voting + absolute majority of total membership)
Connection to this news: Congress's three-line whip indicates it treats the special session as a high-stakes constitutional exercise requiring maximum party presence, while also signalling readiness to oppose the government's specific amendments to the women's reservation law.
Key Facts & Data
- 106th Constitutional Amendment Act: passed September 2023; Presidential assent September 29, 2023
- Reservation quantum: one-third of Lok Sabha + state assembly seats
- Implementation trigger: post-census + post-delimitation (original law)
- Special Parliament session: April 16–18, 2026
- Proposed Lok Sabha seat expansion: 543 → 816 seats
- Congress concern: delimitation before Census 2027 will disadvantage southern states
- CWC meeting participants: Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President), Rahul Gandhi (LoP, Lok Sabha)
- Three-line whip: issued by Congress for all its Lok Sabha MPs for special session
- Sunset clause: women's reservation lasts 15 years from commencement of the Act