"I would also like to tell all the members of this House that we should not live in any illusion or arrogance. I am using the word 'we' I am not speaking in terms of 'I' and 'you'. We should not live under the illusion that we are giving something to the women power of the country. It is their right and we have stopped it for several decades and today, this is our opportunity to be free from sin," said PM Modi.

"If the word 'guarantee' is required, I use the word 'guarantee'. If you talk about a promise, I use the word 'promise'. If there is a better word in Tamil, I am also ready to use that. If the intent is clear, then we do not need to play games with words," PM Modi said.

"I want to say responsibly today that this will not discriminate against anyone. This decision process will not be unfair to anyone. The government that was in power earlier, the delimitation of the seats, and the ratio that has been in place since then, will remain unchanged, and the ratio will remain the same," said PM Modi

"Won't Be Any Discrimination": PM's Guarantee On Women's Quota, Delimitation

"Should Have Implemented It 25-30 Years Ago": PM Modi On Women's Quota In Parliament

PM Modi on women's reservation and delimitation: "I said at the outset that we are all fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in such an important, nation-building process involving half the country's population... We MPs must not let this important opportunity slip away. Together, we Indians are going to give the country a new direction. We are going to make a meaningful effort to infuse our governance system with sensitivity. This will not only shape the nation's politics, but it will also determine the direction and condition of the country..."

"Viksit Bharat does not mean only good infrastructure or economic development. We want the spirit of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' to be reflected in the policymaking of a developed India. Fifty percent of the country's population should be made a part of decision-making. This is the need of the hour," PM Modi.

"India is the mother of democracy. In this journey of development, we have been given a sacred opportunity to add a new dimension. We are fortunate that we have got the chance to include half of the country's population in the decision-making process of nation-building," PM Modi in Lok Sabha

"Delimitation should be conducted after census," said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav during the Special Session Of Parliament

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav during the Special Session Of Parliament said that the government in the country wants to delay caste census

On Women's Reservation Bill, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor says, "The issue is very simple. The government has a plan to redelimit the constituency and increase the number of seats in areas where the ruling party is strong. They are using women's reservation as an excuse to bring about that change by trying to amend the constitutional amendments that they had already brought in 2023."

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya during the Special Session Of Parliament said, "Today, they are out there in Tamil Nadu doing drama by burning a constitutional amendment bill. Let there be a limit to your hypocrisy. Let there be a limit to the hypocrisy of the DMK now." 

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya during the Special Session Of Parliament said, "The opposition does not come prepared for debates, and even if they do come prepared for debates, they behave in a manner as though that they don't understand because the object is not to understand. The object is to oppose for the sake of opposing."

Voting on the three bills in Lok Sabha to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission will be held at 4 PM Friday, according to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Birla said there would be a debate of around 15-18 hours on the bills as voting would take place on 4 PM on Friday.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested a 12-hour debate on the bills but said the decision to extend that would be taken by the Speaker.

(PTI)

A sharp exchange unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Thursday as Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the Centre's urgency in introducing the Women's Reservation Bill, raising concerns over the absence of a recent Census and alleging that the government is avoiding a caste-based enumeration.

Participating in the debate, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Why is the Centre rushing for women's reservation? Start with the Census first," while reiterating that his party supports women's reservation in principle but opposes its implementation through delimitation.

He further alleged that the government is deliberately delaying the Census to avoid triggering demands for a caste census and an expansion of reservations.

He remarked, "They are delaying the census because when it happens, we will ask for the caste-based census, and they don't want it."

Responding to the criticism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Census exercise has already begun and assured the House that a caste-based Census would also be conducted.

"The Census process has already started across the country, and after that, we will also conduct a caste-based census. Currently, the House Listing is underway; homes don't belong to a certain caste. If SP has its way, it will designate a caste to homes also. I want to assure the House that the Census is going to happen with the caste census as well," Shah said, taking a swipe at the opposition.

(IANS)

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Thursday said that while his party supports the Women's Reservation Bill, it opposes the proposed delimitation exercise. He added that the INDIA bloc would vote against the delimitation-related proposal, asserting that the government may not have sufficient numbers to pass it.

Speaking to reporters, Karti Chidambaram said, "The timing of the Parliament session itself is very devious. Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are yet to go to the polls, and we are in the middle of an election campaign. In order to disrupt the campaign of the principal political parties in these states, which are clearly opposed to the BJP, the government has convened a Parliament session on the 16th, 17th, and 18th. This clearly reflects the government's underhanded agenda."

He further stated, "We will all support the Women's Reservation Bill, but delimitation is another questionable move by the government. We will oppose this Bill. Our voices are not adequately heard in Parliament, and if the strength of the House is increased to 850, we will have even less time to raise issues. While we support providing greater representation to women within the current strength of the House, we do not support increasing its size to 850."

Chidambaram reiterated that the INDIA bloc would stand united in opposing the delimitation proposal.

(IANS)

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said the Opposition has decided to boycott the election of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman scheduled for April 17.

Taking to social media platform X, Ramesh outlined the reasons behind the decision.

"First, the Modi Govt has not appointed a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for 7 years. This has never happened before," he said.

"Second, the Deputy Speaker's counterpart in the Rajya Sabha is the Deputy Chairman. Shri Harivansh's second term ended on April 9th. A day later he was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha and he is now the NDA's candidate for Deputy Chairman for a third term. Never before has a person nominated by the President to the Rajya Sabha been considered for the post of its Deputy Chairman," he added.

Ramesh further alleged that the process lacked consultation.

"Third, all this is being done without any meaningful consultations with the Opposition. For these three reasons and as a mark of protest - but not with any disrespect to the very learned Shri Harivansh - the Opposition has regretfully decided to boycott the election of the Deputy Chairman scheduled for April 17," he stated.

(IANS)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the Lok Sabha at 3 pm on Thursday, as the government prepares to introduce three key bills during the special session of Parliament.

The proposed legislation includes measures on women's reservation and delimitation. From the BJP, the debate is set to be opened by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. Other party speakers are expected to include Bansuri Swaraj, Raksha Khadse, Aparajita Sarangi, Kangana Ranaut, and Dharmshila Gupta.

Three major bills are expected to be introduced. These include a proposal to reserve seats for women in the Lok Sabha elections from 2029 and another bill to redraw constituency boundaries.

The opposition has raised concerns over the proposed changes, particularly the plan to redraw constituencies and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from the current 543 to a maximum of 850.

(ANI)

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday expressed confidence that the Women's Reservation Bill would be passed in Parliament with broad consensus, asserting that all political parties would eventually support the legislation despite objections raised by the opposition over delimitation and related issues.

Speaking on the Bill, Giriraj Singh said, "The Women's Reservation Bill is being introduced. The opposition says they have objections to delimitation and won't support it."

He added, "I feel, and I'm fully confident, that when they enter the House, they will feel empathy for women. Women have been waiting for years, and their patience is running out. Everyone will come together to pass it; those who don't won't even get food at home."

Rejecting concerns over regional imbalance, he said, "There will be no discrimination anywhere. The bill will come to the House, and the subject will be presented. There's no need to doubt it before it's even presented. I'm fully confident that just as it was passed before, it will be passed now. No discrimination against any state, equality for all."

On allegations linking the Bill to delimitation concerns, he said, "No one will suffer a loss. No one needs to worry."

(ANI)

Congress Lok Sabha MP Hibi Eden and DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi moved motions on Thursday to oppose the amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in the Lok Sabha.

This comes as a three-day special sitting of the extended Budget session of Parliament is set to begin on Thursday, with discussions centred on proposed Constitutional amendments linked to the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

The three amendments are the Constitution 131st Amendment Bill, 2026; Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Delimitation Bill, 2026.

Meanwhile, amid the delimitation row, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is set to reach Parliament later in the day.

He has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he raised concerns that the proposed delimitation may hurt southern states.

(IANS)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday intensified his opposition to the Centre's proposed delimitation exercise by symbolically burning a copy of the delimitation bill and raising a black flag.

Leading from the front, Stalin burned the proposed delimitation bill in Namakkal, where he also hoisted a black flag as part of the statewide protest he had called for.

The Chief Minister had earlier urged people across Tamil Nadu to raise black flags atop their homes to register their dissent, describing the proposed legislation as a "black law" that threatens the state's political representation.

In a parallel symbolic gesture, a black flag was also hoisted outside Stalin's residence in Chennai.

According to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), this was meant to reinforce the party's strong opposition and encourage widespread public participation.

(IANS)

Floor leaders of the Opposition parties will meet on Thursday in the office of LoP, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, in Parliament to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the House in the special session.

Three important bills are likely to be introduced in the special session of Parliament starting today, including one to reserve seats for women in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and another to redraw constituency boundaries.

Hours before the convening of a special Parliament sitting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India was set to take a "historic step" towards women's empowerment.

"Starting today, in the special session of Parliament, our country is all set to take a historic step towards women's empowerment. The respect for our mothers and sisters is the respect for the nation, and with this very spirit, we are moving forward resolutely in this direction," the PM posted on X.