The proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, triggered one of the most intense constitutional and political debates of recent times before ultimately failing in the Lok Sabha. The Bill sought to expand the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 elected members to a maximum of 850 seats and proposed a fresh delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. It was introduced as part of a broader legislative package intended to operationalise the women’s reservation framework introduced through the 106th Constitutional Amendment. The Bill aimed to amend Articles 81, 82, and 334A of the Constitution to facilitate redistribution of parliamentary constituencies before the post-2026 Census process. Supporters argued that the proposal would improve the representative-to-population ratio and ensure more equitable democratic representation in light of India’s demographic expansion. The newly constructed Parliament building, designed to accommodate up to 888 Lok Sabha members, was also cited as an institutional basis for such expansion.

However, the legislation encountered strong opposition from several political parties, especially from southern and northeastern states. Critics argued that using the 2011 Census as the basis for delimitation would disproportionately benefit northern states with higher population growth while penalising states that had effectively implemented population control policies. Concerns were also raised regarding federal imbalance, political representation, and the possibility of demographic majoritarianism undermining cooperative federalism. As a constitutional amendment under Article 368, the Bill required a special majority in the Lok Sabha. Although it secured a simple majority, it failed to obtain the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority. Reports indicate that the Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the required threshold. Consequently, the Union Government withdrew the accompanying Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

The failed amendment marks a significant constitutional moment, highlighting the continuing tension between democratic representation, population-based federalism, and regional political equity in India’s parliamentary democracy.