The government’s legislative effort to reserve one-third of the seats in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies including increasing the limit of seats in the Lok Sabha from 550 to 850, as well as the allocation of seats to the States, reserved constituencies and their boundaries are defined by the Delimitation Commission on the basis of the latest census, which in this case would mean 2011.
The details emerge from the bills distributed by the government to MPs ahead of the three-day sitting of Parliament between April 16 and 18, which include the Delimitation Bill, 2026, the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Of course, it was not immediately clear how the current proportional representation of states in the Lok Sabha would be maintained as maintained by the government. On Tuesday, speaking to reporters after the bill was circulated, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said no state would lose seats, and seats would be distributed fairly across every state and territory.
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He said, “If you look at all the provisions of the Bill, it takes care of every state, territory and community… There is no need to worry. In the past some people have tried to mislead that the southern states will be left behind because of their successful family planning. In fact these southern states are fortunate that despite controlling population growth and having proportionately fewer people, they are still benefiting.”
An official familiar with the details said the bill did not go into details of seat distribution, as the Delimitation Commission would decide on the specific details of the arrangement.
Southern states have already expressed concern over their reduced proportional representation in the lower house of Parliament.
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On Tuesday, after the bill was circulated, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reiterated those concerns.
“We don’t even know how this delimitation process will be done. No clarification has been given so far regarding the proposed constitutional amendment,” he said. He also warned of mass agitation and protests “if anything is done damaging to the State or resulting in a disproportionate increase in the political power of the Northern States in the delimitation.”
Delimitation based on 2011 census
At the briefing, Rijiju also confirmed that the 2011 census will be the basis for the delimitation exercise. HT’s analysis shows that if the 2011 census is used, the proportional representation of the five southern states would decrease from 20.1% to 18% and the proportional representation of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar would increase from 22.1% to 25.1%.
Women’s reservation related to delimitation
The Constitution Amendment Bill, which proposes changes to the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill or the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, requires a two-thirds majority to pass, while the Delimitation Bill can be passed with a simple majority.
Neither bill mentions the actual number of seats, nor the proportion of the increase. Nor is it mentioned what happens to state legislatures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the legislative effort as the most important step of the 21st century (for India). “All political parties should unanimously come together to take forward this initiative, which deals with the rights of the sisters and daughters of the country,” he said at a public meeting in Dehradun on Tuesday. He said, “…I once again appeal to all political parties across the country to extend their full support to the amendment of the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’. In 2029, we will ensure that 50 per cent of the population of our country gets their due rights.”
According to information shared earlier by people familiar with the matter in the government, the existing 543 seats in the Lok Sabha will increase to 815 or 816, with all additional seats reserved for women. If the move goes ahead, it would mark the fastest increase since the first delimitation in 1952.
The government will also introduce the Union Territories (Amendment) Act to delimit all Union Territories and to reserve seats for women in the Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry Assemblies.
Arguing for early implementation of the bill, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “The next census and the resulting delimitation thereafter will take considerable time and, thus, will delay the effective and dedicated participation of women in our democratic politics. Therefore, the purpose of the proposed Bill is to implement one-third reservation for women, including women belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, in the House of the People and Legislative Assemblies of the States, National Capital Territory of Delhi and Delhi.” In the Union Territories, through the delimitation exercise based on the population data of the latest published census, the implementation of reservation of seats for women is linked to the constitutional scheme of readjustment in the allocation of seats in the House of the People and the Legislative Assemblies and the re-drawing of boundaries of territorial constituencies by the Delimitation Commission.
He said, “The proposed Bill will facilitate delimitation of regional constituencies and implement the provision of reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. This will also promote women empowerment and provide women an opportunity to participate in the nation building process. Additionally, increased representation of women in the decision-making process will promote inclusivity and help in achieving the goals of Developed India@2047.”
The Nari Shakti Vandan Act was passed unanimously by both houses of the Parliament in 2023.
The government wanted to wait for the publication of 2027 census data for delimitation first and implement the women’s quota from the 2034 Lok Sabha elections.
Amendments require the support of a majority of the total membership of that House and a majority of at least two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting.
Under the new scheme, the Delimitation Commission will look at the data from the last published census, or 2011 census, to re-draw constituencies. If the bills are passed during the upcoming session, government officials hope that the women’s quota and increased seats can be implemented for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
“In article 81 of the Constitution, – (a) for clause (1), the following clause shall be substituted, namely: – “(1) The House of the People shall consist of – (a) not more than eight hundred and fifteen members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the States; and (b) not more than thirty-five members to represent the Union Territories, to be chosen by Parliament in such manner as may be provided by law,” the Constitution Amendment Bill says, raising the limit of Lok Sabha seats to 850.
Currently Article 81 limits Lok Sabha seats to 550-530 from states and 20 from Union Territories.
With data from the ongoing 2027 census yet to be revealed, both the Constitution Amendment Bill and the Delimitation Bill pave the way for enumeration based on 2011 or the last published census.
The amendment bill says, “In this article, the expression “population” means the population ascertained at such census, as Parliament may by law determine, the relevant figures of which have been published.” The Delimitation Bill clarified that “latest census data” means “latest census data published on the date of constitution of the Commission under section 3.”
The amendment in the Women’s Reservation Bill will put the opposition in trouble as they will have to adjust their strategy to oppose only the amendment of Articles 81 and 82 and not be seen opposing this historic law.
The Bill states that reservation for women shall cease to exist fifteen years after the commencement of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, unless Parliament may by law extend such period for such further time as may be specified in this behalf. Reservation will be decided in rotation.
The Bill clarifies that additional seats, if any, in Mizoram and Lakshadweep, whose only Lok Sabha seats are reserved for tribals, will also be reserved for tribals.
Meghwal, who will introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha, said in the statement of objects and reasons, “Freezing seats based on population data of the 1971 census served an important policy objective, but the demographic profile of the country has changed significantly since then, as reflected in the population data of the latest published census, including significant intra-state and inter-state population shifts, rapid urbanization and migration, and disproportionate growth in some areas, Which has resulted in wide disparities in population and constituencies.”
“The said provisions contemplate that such reservation shall come into force after the first delimitation on the basis of the relevant census conducted after the commencement of the said amending Act,” he said.
