IndiaPosted at: Oct 22 2026 3:37PM


Special Parliament session back on the agenda as government courts Opposition on Women’s quota, delimitation bills

Shahid K Abbas
New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) The possibility of the union government convening a special session of Parliament later this month to revive crucial constitutional amendments on women’s reservation and delimitation has gained fresh momentum, with highly placed Lok Sabha sources indicating on Thursday that such a sitting “cannot be ruled out”.
The proposed session would mark a renewed attempt by the government to secure parliamentary approval for the contentious legislative package after its earlier bid suffered a setback during the Budget Session, when the bills failed to secure the requisite two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. Government sources have indicated that the ruling establishment is now working to consolidate support, reaching out to regional parties and smaller Opposition groups in an effort to ensure that the constitutional amendments clear the legislative hurdle this time.
The proposed legislative exercise carries far-reaching political implications, bringing together two sensitive issues: the implementation of women’s reservation in legislative bodies and the delimitation of constituencies.
The existing constitutional framework links the implementation of the one-third quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies to a future census and the subsequent delimitation exercise. Any changes to this framework are likely to reignite debate over the timing of women’s reservation, the redrawing of constituency boundaries and the distribution of parliamentary representation among states.
Sources said the government has been reaching out to Opposition parties, including the DMK, to secure the numbers required for the constitutional amendments. The outreach suggests that the ruling establishment is keen to avoid another legislative defeat and wants to establish that it has sufficient support before formally announcing a special sitting.
The procedural position has also fuelled speculation about the timing of the proposed session. The Monsoon Session of Parliament was adjourned sine die but has not been formally prorogued, leaving open the possibility of convening another sitting of the existing session, subject to the necessary procedural steps. Government sources have indicated that MPs could be given around a week’s notice if the decision to proceed is taken.
Although a sitting around the festival calendar had been discussed earlier, the latest indications point towards a short session timed around the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum. No formal announcement has been made, however, and the dates and legislative agenda remain subject to a final decision by the government.
The proposed move comes amid an intensifying confrontation between the government and the Opposition over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission, particularly Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Opposition parties have stepped up their campaign over electoral transparency and the integrity of the voting process, adding to the political tensions ahead of the next round of major electoral contests.
Against this backdrop, the government’s efforts to build support for the constitutional amendments are expected to face demands for wider consultation and detailed parliamentary scrutiny. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has recently written to Congress leaders seeking constructive cooperation, while Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has called for an all-party meeting to discuss the proposed legislative business and ensure adequate deliberation before a special session is formally notified.
The Opposition’s concerns are likely to centre on the constitutional and political consequences of delimitation, particularly the distribution of parliamentary seats among states and the safeguards needed to preserve a fair federal balance. Southern states have expressed apprehension that a population-based redistribution of seats could diminish their relative representation despite their progress in controlling population growth.
The government will therefore have to address concerns that extend beyond the immediate question of securing a parliamentary majority to the broader issues of federal equity and political representation.
Under Article 368 of the Constitution, constitutional amendment bills generally require a majority of the total membership of each House of Parliament and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. Certain amendments also require ratification by at least half of the state legislatures. The precise requirements will depend on the provisions of the bills proposed. Given the government’s earlier difficulty in securing the necessary numbers, the support of regional parties could prove decisive.
For the government, a special session would provide an opportunity to revive its legislative agenda and demonstrate that the earlier setback has been overcome through political negotiations. For the Opposition, it would present another test of its ability to coordinate across party lines on legislation that combines constitutional reform with potentially significant electoral consequences.
For now, the government has stopped short of making a formal announcement. But the indication from highly placed Lok Sabha sources that a special session “cannot be ruled out”, coupled with reported efforts to win over regional parties, has brought the possibility of an October sitting back into sharp political focus. The immediate questions are whether the government will formally convene the session, whether it can secure the requisite numbers and whether the Opposition will be given adequate time to examine and debate the proposed constitutional changes before Parliament is called upon to vote. UNI SKA AAB
Tags: #Special Parliament session back on the agenda as government courts Opposition on Women’s quota# delimitation bills
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