Parliament Winter Session Likely In December, Government To Push Women's Reservation Bill

New Delhi: The winter session of Parliament may begin in the first week of December. In this session, the Central Government is preparing to again push the Constitution Amendment Bill related to delimitation. The government is trying to clear the way for 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies before the 2029 general elections. However, this time also the biggest challenge before the government will be to garner the necessary support in the Lok Sabha. To pass the bill, two-thirds majority is required, whereas as per the current numbers, NDA is lagging behind this figure.

When can the Parliament session start?

According to PTI report quoting sources, the winter session of Parliament may be called in the first week of December. The government wants to give priority to bills related to women's reservation and delimitation in this session. On the other hand, the opposition is continuously attacking the government regarding the Special Intensive Revision of Voter Lists i.e. SIR. Opposition parties may protest in Parliament on this issue. In such a situation, there is a possibility of conflict between the ruling party and the opposition during the session. 

Can Lok Sabha seats be increased from 543 to 850?

Under the proposal that the government wants to put forward, there is a provision to increase the maximum number of members of the Lok Sabha to 850 after delimitation. Currently there are 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. In the proposed arrangement, there can be a maximum of 815 members from states and 35 from union territories. The government argues that increasing the number of seats will make it easier to implement 33 percent reservation for women. With this, the process of giving reservations to women in the Lok Sabha as well as the state assemblies will move forward.

How many votes are needed to pass the bill?

To pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, at least two-thirds of the votes of the members present and voting in the House are required. If all the present 540 members vote, the government will have to get 361 votes. Of the total 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, three are currently vacant.

The ruling NDA has about 320 MPs. In such a situation, it will need the support of opposition parties or other MPs to reach the required figures. A senior government official told PTI that it expected the bill to be passed by a margin of 15 to 18 votes. However, this is the assessment of the government, the final result will be known only after voting in the House.

Has the bill already fallen in the Lok Sabha?

The Constitution Amendment Bill and related proposals linking women's reservation to delimitation were introduced in the Lok Sabha during the budget session in April 2026. On April 17, the Constitution Amendment Bill could not garner the required majority and was not passed. Since then the government is trying to garner support again.

What will be the government's strategy amid opposition's opposition on SIR?

The challenge for the government is not just the mathematics of votes. Opposition's opposition regarding SIR can also become a reason for uproar in the winter session. Opposition parties may also raise questions on the delimitation proposal and its possible political implications. In such a situation, the government will need adequate support in the House for discussion and voting on the bill as well as to keep the functioning smooth.

The goal of implementing women's reservation before the 2029 elections is important for the government. But after the defeat in April, this time the future of the bill will entirely depend on whether the government is able to muster the required two-thirds support or not.