HM Amit Shah puts ball in Oppn’s court, says 'I will bring amendment to this bill if...'

Launching a sharp attack on the Opposition, Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that those opposing the delimitation are "opposing an increase in SC and ST seats." According to the list of business, Lok Sabha is set to vote on the passing of the Constitutional amendments and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.

As Parliament took up discussions on amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act and the Delimitation Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to the debate in the Lok Sabha on Friday. Launching a sharp attack on the Opposition, the senior BJP leader alleged that members of the INDIA bloc have effectively opposed women’s reservation, while also signalling openness to increasing the quota.

"No one has objected to the women's reservation. But, if we see closely, all members of the INDI alliance have opposed it by using 'ifs and but' ", Home Minister Shah said, replying to the debate the Lok Sabha. 

"Those opposing delimitation are actually opposing an increase in SC/ST seats," he added. 

Furthermore, Union Home Minister Shah also said, "If the reason to oppose this bill is that there should be 50 per cent reservation, then halt the proceedings for an hour, and I will bring an official amendment to this bill, but first they (opposition) need to promise to pass the bill."

Also read- Lok Sabha set for voting on Women’s Reservation Bill – Where the numbers stand and will it pass or fail?

According to the list of business, Lok Sabha is set to vote on the passing of the Constitutional amendments and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.

Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs held a meeting at Home Minister Amit Shah's residence. BJP National President Nitin Nabin, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, BJP MP Arun Singh, and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice President Rekha Verma are in a meeting.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Union Minister of IT and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister Piyush Goyal also joined the meeting.

The Congress has issued a three-line whip for its MPs in the Lok Sabha to be present in the House for the special sitting from April 16 to 18 and support the party's stand.

Lok Sabha is continuing its discussion on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies.

Women's Reservation Bill and Delimitation 

The government is planning to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.

However, the Opposition MPs have raised concerns over the constitutional amendment to conduct the delimitation and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 850, based on the 2011 census.
 
(with ANI inputs) 

Also check- 'This is an attempt...': What Rahul Gandhi said in Parliament on Women's Reservation Bill