Constitution 131st Amendment Bill Defeated in Lok Sabha: Delimitation and 850-Seat Expansion Package Fails

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 and facilitate fresh delimitation based on the 2011 Census, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026. The Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment. The required threshold, based on 528 members voting, was 352 votes. This was the first constitutional amendment brought by the current government to fail in the Lok Sabha. Following the defeat, the government withdrew the associated Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

What the 131st Amendment Bill Proposed

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, proposed to increase the total strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats. Of these, 815 members would be elected from the States and 35 from Union Territories. The Bill also sought to remove the constitutional freeze on delimitation that had been in place since 1976, under which the allocation of seats to states was based on the 1971 Census figures. The new delimitation would be based on the 2011 Census, which would have resulted in a significant redistribution of seats among states. The Bill was part of a package of three legislative measures: the constitutional amendment, the Delimitation Bill (which provided the procedural framework for the new delimitation exercise), and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill (which adjusted seat allocations for Union Territory legislatures).

Why the Bill Was Opposed: North-South Seat Redistribution Controversy

The primary opposition to the Bill came from southern states, which argued that delimitation based on the 2011 Census population data would disproportionately benefit northern states with higher populations while reducing the relative representation of southern states that had successfully implemented family planning programmes. Under the proposed redistribution, Tamil Nadu's seats would have decreased from 39 to 32, and Kerala from 20 to 15. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh would have seen an increase from 80 to 89, Bihar from 40 to 46, and Rajasthan from 25 to 30. Critics argued that this outcome would penalise states that had controlled population growth and reward states that had not, undermining the principle of cooperative federalism. Opposition parties from southern states, as well as several regional parties, voted against the Bill on these grounds.

Women's Reservation and the Link to Delimitation

The government had linked the delimitation package to the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment), which reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women. The 106th Amendment, passed in 2023, requires a delimitation exercise to be completed before the women's reservation can be operationalised. The government argued that the 131st Amendment Bill was a necessary step toward implementing women's reservation, as the expanded Lok Sabha would create the framework for identifying reserved constituencies. Critics countered that women's reservation could be implemented without expanding the Lok Sabha or changing the Census basis for delimitation, and that the government was using the popular women's reservation mandate to push through a controversial seat redistribution.

Constitutional Requirements for Amendment Bills

Article 368 of the Constitution prescribes the procedure for constitutional amendments. A Constitution Amendment Bill must be passed by each House of Parliament by a majority of the total membership of that House, and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. For amendments that affect the federal structure (including the representation of states in Parliament), ratification by the legislatures of at least half of the states is additionally required under the proviso to Article 368(2). The 131st Amendment Bill cleared the first threshold (simple majority of total membership) but failed the second (two-thirds of members present and voting). With 298 votes in favour out of 528 members voting, the Bill secured only 56.4 percent of votes, well short of the required 66.7 percent.

Key Takeaways

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, with 298 votes in favour against a required 352. The Bill sought to expand the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats and enable delimitation based on the 2011 Census. Southern states opposed the redistribution, which would have reduced their seat share while increasing representation of northern states. The government linked the package to women's reservation implementation under the 106th Amendment. This was the first constitutional amendment defeat for the current government. The associated Delimitation Bill and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill were withdrawn following the defeat.