Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the proposed expansion of seats in the Lok Sabha is intended to strengthen parliamentary representation across India while enabling the long-awaited implementation of women’s reservation in legislatures. Addressing a public gathering in Assam’s Barpeta, he emphasized that the initiative aims to ensure greater participation of women in governance ahead of the 2029 general election.
Modi described women’s empowerment as a central priority for the government and stressed that increasing their representation in both Parliament and state assemblies is essential to achieving the broader goal of building a developed India. He noted that legislative amendments are required to implement the proposal and confirmed that a special session of Parliament beginning April 16 has been convened to advance the process.
According to government sources, one of the key steps being considered is increasing the total number of Lok Sabha seats, potentially by up to 50 percent. The expansion is expected to help accommodate a one-third reservation for women without reducing the existing representation of states. The proposal follows consultations led by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju with multiple political parties to build consensus around the reform.
Responding to concerns raised by opposition leaders, particularly from southern states worried about losing influence due to population-based seat adjustments, Modi said the new framework is being designed to ensure that no region faces reduced representation. He stated that additional seats would be created specifically to accommodate women legislators, rather than redistributing existing constituencies.
Officials indicated that the government is preparing two separate bills to implement the reform. A constitutional amendment bill will outline the structure for introducing the 33 percent reservation for women, including provisions for representation within Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes quotas. A second bill is expected to establish a Delimitation Commission that will determine how the expanded parliamentary seats are allocated across the country.
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