- Centre plans special session for delimitation, women’s reservation.
- Prior legislative attempts failed; government seeks broader support.
- DMK, smaller parties engaged to secure required special majority.
- Government needs votes, considering 50% seat increase guarantee.
The Centre is considering convening a special session of Parliament later this month to revive its efforts to pass legislation on delimitation and women’s reservation. The move comes amid escalating Opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Sources told NDTV that the government is confident of securing sufficient support in Parliament and is likely to call the special sitting. The Centre is also reaching out to regional and smaller parties to strengthen its position ahead of a possible vote.
April Defeat Behind Fresh Push
The proposed session follows a setback for the Narendra Modi government during the Budget Session on April 17, when a Constitution amendment bill linked to delimitation and the implementation of women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies failed to secure passage in the Lower House.
The government’s subsequent attempt to revive the legislation during the Monsoon Session did not materialise, as parliamentary proceedings were disrupted by Opposition protests over the NEET paper leak and the handling of student demonstrations.
The Monsoon Session ended on August 13, but Parliament has not yet been prorogued. This leaves the government with the option of convening a special sitting without first summoning an entirely new session, sources said.
DMK Outreach After Congress Split
The government is reportedly holding discussions with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has 22 MPs, to seek its backing for the proposed legislation.
The outreach comes after the Tamil Nadu-based party parted ways with the Congress following the state elections and moved away from the INDIA bloc. The DMK has been a vocal opponent of delimitation, making its position potentially significant in the government’s efforts to secure the required numbers.
Sources also indicated that the Centre is engaging with smaller political parties in an attempt to broaden support before bringing the bills back to Parliament.
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BRICS Forum May Determine Dates
The timing of the proposed special session is expected to take into account the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, scheduled to be held at Samvidhan Sadan, the Parliament House complex, on October 26 and 27.
According to sources, the government may provide a week’s notice before convening the session. The final dates have not yet been confirmed.
Government Works On Numbers
A Constitution amendment requires a special majority in both Houses of Parliament, meaning the support of at least two-thirds of members present and voting. The government must therefore secure support beyond its existing majority in the Lok Sabha.
The House currently has a strength of 540 members, putting the two-thirds benchmark at around 360 if all members are present and voting. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) does not currently have that level of support on its own.
However, sources said the government believes its position has improved since the previous session, citing 20 Trinamool Congress MPs and six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs who have switched to the ruling side.
The Centre is also expecting support from parties such as the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), which has eight MPs. Sources said the government is considering an assurance that the bills will provide for a guaranteed 50% increase in seats across the board.
NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule had earlier indicated a “willingness to talk if 50% was guaranteed”.
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