Archive · 15 Aug 2026
PM Modi urges Opposition to back women's reservation in Parliament
India has a special holiday called Independence Day.
On this day, the leader of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talks to everyone from a famous old fort called the Red Fort.
This year he asked all political groups to work together and give women one-third of the seats in Parliament.
He said women are doing great things in many fields and deserve a bigger say in decisions.
His government had tried to pass a new law about this earlier in the year.
But in April, the law did not get enough votes to pass.
Some people were upset and said the other side was stopping women from getting more seats.
Others, like leader Rahul Gandhi, said the law was not good enough to really help women.
The issue has been talked about for about 40 years, and Modi hopes everyone can agree soon so women can help make the country's rules.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed from the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day for Opposition support for 33% reservation for women in Parliament.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill failed in the Lok Sabha in April 2026, with 298 MPs voting in favour and 230 against.
The Bill sought to implement 33% reservation in legislatures by 2029 and increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 after a delimitation based on the 2011 Census.
Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju blamed the Opposition for the Bill's defeat, while NDA women MPs protested in the Parliament complex.
Rahul Gandhi said the Bill was not a genuine women's reservation measure and did not amount to women's empowerment.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made the appeal from the Red Fort; Home Minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were central to the debate.
- What
- A renewed appeal for Opposition support for a constitutional amendment Bill granting 33% reservation for women in legislatures, after the Bill failed to secure a two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha (one report says 352 votes were required, another says 360).
- When
- Saturday, India's 80th Independence Day (August 15, 2026); the Bill was defeated on April 17, 2026.
- Where
- The Red Fort in New Delhi, where Modi addressed the nation; the failed vote and protests took place in Parliament.
- Why
- To give women, who are 'advancing rapidly' across fields, 33% representation so they can contribute to shaping India's policies.
Opposition and Critics
Government and NDA Allies
Why the Bill failed
Opposition and Critics
Rahul Gandhi said the bill was not a genuine women's reservation measure and did not amount to women's empowerment; opposition parties declined to support it.
Government and NDA Allies
Modi said political considerations prevented the Bill from passing, and Kiren Rijiju accused the Opposition of missing an opportunity to provide reservation to women.
Reaction to the defeat
Opposition and Critics
The Opposition rejected the government's framing of the legislation and opposed the measure in the vote.
Government and NDA Allies
Amit Shah called the Opposition's celebration over the defeat an 'insult' to women waiting for representation, and NDA women MPs staged a protest in the Parliament complex.
Value of the legislation
Opposition and Critics
The Bill would not achieve genuine women's empowerment.
Government and NDA Allies
The measure would provide long-awaited 33% representation for women in legislative institutions, and political parties should take credit for its passage.
- Reservation demanded
- 33% for women in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
- Bill
- Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill
- Votes in favour
- 298
- Votes against
- 230
- Members present
- 528
- Votes required
- 352 (two-thirds majority; one report cites 360)
- Bill defeated
- April 17, 2026, during the Budget Session
- Parliamentary arithmetic
- NDA has 299 MPs; even with 20 NCPI MPs it would reach 319, short of required numbers; DMK's 22 MPs left the INDIA Bloc after Congress joined the TVK government in Tamil Nadu
