The Union government has initiated moves to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 and to reserve one-third of the seats for women. Although the women’s reservation had already been passed through the 106th Constitutional Amendment in September 2023, it is scheduled to come into effect only after the Census due in 2027 and the subsequent delimitation of constituencies is completed. Delimitation is a time-consuming process.The last four delimitation commissions took between three and five and a half years to complete. Since it is unlikely that the process would be finished before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, the implementation of women’s reservation following that process could be delayed until 2034. However, the Centre is now considering legal amendments and measures to ensure that both the expansion of Lok Sabha seats and the implementation of women’s reservation can take effect in time for the 2029 elections. As per constitutional provisions, delimitation of constituencies and the determination of the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies are to be carried out after each decadal Census. In 1971, India’s population stood at 54.79 crore, but it has now risen to around 147 crore. The strength of legislative bodies has not increased so far because the 84th Constitutional Amendment in 2001 froze constituency delimitation at the 1971 level until 2026. The government is now moving to carry out delimitation and implement women’s reservation in 2029 itself, based on the 2011 Census. Since the required Constitutional amendment would need a two-thirds majority in Parliament as well as endorsement by the state assemblies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is reportedly seeking opposition support, marking a departure from its usual approach. There were indications that a bill on this could be introduced during the current session of Parliament, but with Assembly elections underway in five states, a special session may be convened if needed.
Concerns have also been raised about increasing the Lok Sabha’s strength, particularly by southern states. The main worry is that if representation is determined purely based on population, states that have successfully controlled population growth in the south could see a reduction in their share of seats and thereby be penalised for their development efforts. States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which have lagged in population control, are likely to gain a significant advantage in representation. Based on current population estimates, Uttar Pradesh’s seat count could rise from 80 to around 151, while Bihar’s could increase from 40 to about 82. Together, the two states would account for roughly 26% of the total seats. In contrast, southern states would see relatively smaller increases. Tamil Nadu’s representation may go up from 39 to 53 seats, while Kerala could see a rise from 20 to 23. To address these concerns, an alternative proposal under consideration is to increase representation for all states by about 50%, effectively expanding the total strength of the Lok Sabha by one-and-a-half times. Since this approach is not currently envisaged in the Constitution, the Centre is exploring amendments to enable it. The proposal is being explained as a way to maintain the existing proportional balance among states and to ensure that the overall number of general seats does not shrink when women’s reservation is implemented. The rationale behind the Modi government’s push for such reforms has not been clearly articulated, which may explain why parties like the Indian National Congress, Left parties, and the All India Trinamool Congress have not responded enthusiastically to it so far. At the same time, the Centre is said to be making efforts to engage the opposition in a more conciliatory manner on the issue.
Congress has suggested that an all-party meeting be convened after the completion of the state Assembly elections to discuss the issue. It has also reportedly been argued that the move could be an attempt to divert attention from the Centre’s shortcomings in handling the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, as well as to influence upcoming state elections. The party further pointed out that even if the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats is increased, the process of delimiting constituencies would still require considerable time, as it is inherently a detailed and multi-phased exercise.
Discussions on the need for caution while implementing women’s reservation have also figures prominently when the bill was passed on multiple occasions in the past and at other times. However, some of those concerns are now seen as less relevant, given the growing awareness and self-reliance among women in recent years. Earlier remarks of caution had centred on the possibility that women representatives might remain under the shadow of male leadership, with men effectively controlling decision-making on their behalf. There were also apprehensions that spouses of political elite or their family members could occupy these positions, potentially sidelining marginalised sections once again. Even today, women in many educationally backward regions continue to lag behind men, highlighting the need for efforts to strengthen their empowerment through social initiatives. Measures such as reservation within women’s seats may also be necessary to ensure adequate representation. Without such safeguards, women’s role in legislative bodies could remain weak. While states like Kerala offer examples of strong female participation and empowerment in local self-government institutions, this is not uniformly the case across the country. If this reform agenda is not implemented with care and caution, there is a risk that power could get further concentrated in the hands of already privileged groups.