Overview
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah met regional and opposition leaders on Monday to build consensus, while INDIA bloc parties later pushed for an all‑party meeting led by Mallikarjun Kharge to review the plan.
- The government’s draft would amend the 2023 law to delink women’s reservation from a future census and rely on 2011 data, with a Delimitation Commission likely by June and about 273 Lok Sabha seats reserved for women.
- Officials are weighing two measures to make this work, including a Constitution Amendment Bill that needs a two‑thirds majority in both Houses and a companion change to the Delimitation Act, with several reports pointing to a March 31, 2029 start date.
- Coverage differs on timing as some outlets say the bills could come in the current Budget Session, others report a pause with a possible special two‑day sitting, and Congress has criticized the move as politically timed.
- Leaders briefed on the plan say each state would keep its current share of Lok Sabha seats through a roughly 50% expansion across the board, a design aimed at easing southern states’ fears and one that would also scale up many state assemblies.