PM Modi to Address Lok Sabha on Women’s Reservation Bill

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026, to initiate a three-day special sitting of Parliament. The session is dedicated to amending the Women’s Reservation Act of 2023 to ensure its implementation before the next Lok Sabha election.

The move follows a series of discussions and events aimed at securing cross-party support for the legislation. On April 13, 2026, Prime Minister Modi addressed the Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, where he called for dialogue, cooperation, and participation to achieve the goal of implementing the women’s quota law by 2029.

Proposed Expansion of Lok Sabha Seats

As part of the effort to push women’s reservation, the Central government has proposed an increase in the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 850. According to a copy of the bill, this proposed structure would include 815 seats for states and 35 seats for Union Territories.

The legislation seeks to end a decades-old wait by reserving one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. The Prime Minister described the upcoming decision as one of the most important of the 21st century.

Political Context and Opposition Concerns

The proposal has faced scrutiny from opposition parties, including the Congress and its allies. Some opposition members have criticized the government for introducing the bills during state elections and have raised questions regarding the associated delimitation proposal.

Despite these objections, Prime Minister Modi has expressed confidence that the measures will receive unanimous support. He has stated that the credit for the passage of the women’s quota bill will belong to every political party, citing the long-standing cross-party support the proposal has enjoyed since the original law was enacted in 2023.

Our country’s Parliament is on the brink of creating history

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government has taken the concerns of the Opposition seriously, particularly the insistence that the reservation must be implemented by 2029.

Legislative Requirements

The implementation of the reservation and the increase in the number of seats require constitutional amendments and significant political support. The three-day sitting starting April 16 will see both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha take up the government’s bills to finalize these measures.

During his address at the Nari Shakti Vandan programme, which was also attended by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, the Prime Minister highlighted his history of commitment to women’s empowerment. He referenced initiatives from his time as Gujarat Chief Minister, including schemes that allowed houses built with government assistance to be registered in the names of women to increase their influence in family decision-making.