Modi Targets Opposition Over Women’s Bill
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the nation after the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, and accused Opposition parties of blocking the implementation of women’s reservation in legislatures. Speaking a day after the bill failed in the Lok Sabha, he said the government remained committed to the larger goal of increasing women’s representation in Parliament and State Assemblies.
PM Modi Address On Women’s Reservation
In his speech, Mr. Modi said the setback would not weaken the government’s resolve and that more efforts would be made in the future to remove obstacles to women’s political participation. He apologised to the country’s women over the bill’s defeat and said the issue was not just legislative, but linked to the dignity and representation of women in public life.
Constitution Amendment Bill Defeat In Lok Sabha
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced as part of a wider package connected to delimitation and changes in legislative representation. The proposal was meant to create the framework for implementing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. However, as a constitutional amendment, it required a special majority in the Lok Sabha and failed to pass after not securing the necessary numbers.
Opposition Parties And Political Fallout
Mr. Modi accused several Opposition parties of misleading the public and opposing a reform that he said would have benefited women across the country. Opposition leaders, however, have argued that their objection was not to women’s reservation itself but to the way it was tied to delimitation and parliamentary expansion. The speech has now intensified the political confrontation over the bill, with both sides trying to frame the defeat in their favour.
