Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is poised to call a special session of Parliament later this month, after a defeat of the same bills in the lower house on April 17.
The amendment, which seeks to overhaul delimitation and introduce a 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, requires a two‑thirds majority of the 540‑member house, or roughly 360 votes. The NDA currently holds a simple majority but falls short of the threshold.
To bridge the gap, the government has entered negotiations with the DMK, which holds 22 seats and has been a vocal opponent of delimitation. DMK leaders have signaled willingness to support the bills if the government guarantees a 50% increase in seats for their party.
Other smaller parties, including the NCP (SP) with eight MPs and the Shiv Sena (UBT) bloc, have been approached, while 20 Trinamool MPs and six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs have already switched to the ruling side.
The special session’s date will consider the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, slated for Oct 26–27 at the Samvidhan Sadan, and a one‑week notice is expected before the session is convened. The government’s move comes after the Monsoon session ended on Aug 13 with the bills still pending and an earlier monsoon attempt stymied by student protests over a leaked NEET paper.
If the bills pass, the 33% women’s reservation will be entrenched across all parliamentary and assembly seats, potentially reshaping the political landscape and altering the composition of future elections. The next step will be a vote in the special session, with the opposition’s support now in the balance.