NEW DELHI: The government planned to convene a special session of Parliament to pass a Constitution amendment bill linked to the implementation of women's reservation, with government sources expressing confidence that it would secure the required majority.
The sources said the bill could be passed by a margin of 15 to 18 votes, but did not disclose the dates or duration of the proposed session.
The government needs 361 votes in the Lok Sabha to secure the two-thirds majority required for a Constitution amendment. The 543-member House currently has three vacancies.
The proposed amendment seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 seats to a maximum of 850 through delimitation. It would pave the way for 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislative assemblies.
A similar Constitution amendment bill failed to secure the required numbers in the Lok Sabha during a special sitting of the Budget Session on April 17.
The Monsoon Session, during which both Houses were adjourned sine die on August 13, has not been prorogued. It has remained unprorogued for 91 days, surpassing the previous record of 87 days set in 2008. An extended sitting under the existing session requires a minimum notice of two days, while a fresh session requires at least 14 days' notice.
The government proposed increasing Lok Sabha seats for all states by 50 per cent to address concerns of southern states while seeking to implement the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary elections. The fresh draft is understood to propose retaining the existing ratio of seats among states based on the 1971 Census, though no final decision has been taken.
