SRINAGAR: A Constitution Amendment Bill proposing implementation of women’s reservation in legislatures by 2029 along with an increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha was defeated in the Lower House on Friday.
The Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, out of 528 members who voted. However, it fell short of the two-thirds majority requirement of 352 votes needed for a constitutional amendment.
The proposed legislation sought to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to a maximum of 850 seats to operationalise the women’s reservation law ahead of the 2029 general elections, following delimitation based on the 2011 Census.
It also proposed a corresponding increase in seats in State and Union Territory legislatures to facilitate 33 per cent reservation for women.
