Lok Sabha Rejects Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill 2026 To Increase Seats; Centre Withdraws Delimitation Bill
The Lok Sabha rejected the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, on April 16, 2026, which aimed to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 (815 for states, up to 35 for Union Territories) and enable delimitation based on the 2011 Census rather than waiting for Census 2027.
Voting Outcome
The bill received 278 votes in favor and 211 against out of 489 members voting, falling short of the required two-thirds majority for a constitutional amendment. Some reports note slightly varying figures like 298 for and 230 against out of 528, but the failure was clear.
Government’s Response
Following the defeat, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju withdrew the linked Delimitation Bill 2026 and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill 2026, as they were interconnected with women’s reservation implementation from the 106th Amendment Act, 2023.
Opposition Concerns
Opposition parties criticized the bills for potentially reducing representation of southern and northeastern states due to 2011 Census-based delimitation, favoring northern population growth, and questioned rushing ahead of the 2026-27 Census.
These bills sought to lift the post-1971 freeze on seat allocation (frozen until after 2026 Census per Article 82) and operationalize 33% women’s reservation, but the rejection stalls these reforms and shifts Lok Sabha-Rajya Sabha seat ratios.
