Women’s Reservation Bill Fails in Lok Sabha After Falling Short of Two-Thirds Majority

April 18, 2026 : The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, aimed at providing one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, failed to secure passage in the Lower House after falling short of the required two-thirds majority.

Out of 528 members present and voting, 298 MPs supported the Bill while 230 opposed it, missing the threshold of 352 votes needed for approval. Announcing the outcome, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stated that the legislation could not proceed due to insufficient support.

Following the result, women MPs from the NDA staged a protest within the Parliament complex, blaming opposition parties for blocking the measure.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the opposition, alleging that they had squandered a key opportunity to advance women’s representation. Echoing this, Home Minister Amit Shah accused opposition parties of historically retreating from decisions aimed at empowering women. He also condemned what he described as celebrations over the Bill’s failure, calling it an insult to women awaiting greater political representation.

Earlier in the debate, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi argued that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam did not genuinely address women’s empowerment and should not be considered a true reservation measure.

The House was subsequently adjourned and is scheduled to reconvene at 11 AM.