NEW DELHI: The government is planning to convene a special session of Parliament to secure the passage of a Constitution amendment bill linked to the implementation of women’s reservation, PTI reported.According to the report, the BJP-led Centre is confident of securing 15 to 18 votes more than the 361 required to achieve a two-thirds majority and pass the proposed legislation. However, the dates and duration of the proposed special session remain unclear.The possibility of convening Parliament at short notice remains open, as the Monsoon Session, during which both Houses were adjourned sine die (indefinitely) on August 13, has yet to be prorogued. The session has now remained unprorogued for 91 days, surpassing the previous record of 87 days set in 2008.While an extended sitting of an existing session requires a minimum notice of two days, convening a fresh session requires at least 14 days’ notice.The government’s decision to keep the Monsoon Session unprorogued has consequently triggered speculation about the possibility of an extended sitting or a special session to consider the proposed amendment.Also Read | ‘Doesn’t have courage to call all-party meet?’: Congress questions Shah over delay in discussion on delimitation BillThe Constitution does not specify any timeframe within which a House must be prorogued after being adjourned sine die. Nor does keeping a session in continuation without formally proroguing it for an extended period, by itself, constitute any constitutional or procedural impropriety.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from the existing 543 seats to a maximum of 850 through delimitation, paving the way for the implementation of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislative assemblies.The move follows the failure of a similar Constitution amendment bill to secure the required majority in the Lok Sabha during a special sitting of the Budget Session on April 17.The government is proposing a 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats for every state to address concerns raised by southern states, as it seeks to implement the women’s reservation law before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.Also Read | South vs North, women vs seats: Inside India’s most contested special sessionA fresh draft, which builds on the earlier bill, is understood to propose retaining the existing proportion of seats among states based on the 1971 Census.However, this is among several proposals under consideration, and no final decision has been taken, according to government sources.
