Special Session Of Parliament: Amit Shah vs Akhilesh Yadav Over Quota Within Quota For Muslim Womenhttps://t.co/BtFv626x4X pic.twitter.com/VvkKuyKzza

— NDTV (@ndtv) April 16, 2026

#WATCH Delhi: On the Women's Reservation Bill, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, "The Women's Reservation Bill should be passed, this is a historic bill... I urge all political parties to end the tensions of North-South... India belongs to Indians. We want to give reservations to… pic.twitter.com/OAVc4NzzNi

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2026

#WATCH | Delhi | On the Women's Reservation Bill, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal Singh says, "This is historic for women and the country... The government had decided to implement it before 2029. On this basis, we have brought the amendment bill today... What the opposition is saying… pic.twitter.com/7mqa7bz9IR

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2026

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)

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

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 16, 2026

Rajya Sabha Adjourned Till 11:00 am on April 17, 2026#RajyaSabha @VPIndia pic.twitter.com/cptVgCIapl

— SansadTV (@sansad_tv) April 16, 2026

Opposition slams Centre over delimitation bill; Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK, AIMIM, TMK, RSP, CPIM raise objections in Parliament
NDTV's @Vasudha156 joins @divyawadhwa with more details pic.twitter.com/2JirEkDcx6

— NDTV (@ndtv) April 16, 2026

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)

#SpecialParliamentSession2026
Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal introduces The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha. That the Bill further to amend the Constitution of India.@LokSabhaSectt @ombirlakota @AmitShah… pic.twitter.com/m7Ua0vQl36

— SansadTV (@sansad_tv) April 16, 2026

Home Minister @AmitShah introduces The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha.

That the Bill further to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and the Jammu and Kashmir… pic.twitter.com/TG291s7jVG

— SansadTV (@sansad_tv) April 16, 2026

#ParliamentSession2026
Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal introduces The Delimitation Bill,2026 in Lok Sabha.
That the Bill to provide for the readjustment of the
allocation of seats in the House of the People to the States and Union territories, the total number… pic.twitter.com/Ht0FZeLcPJ

— SansadTV (@sansad_tv) April 16, 2026

Special session of Parliament: Union Home Minister Amit Shah tables Delimitation Bill, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal Constitution Amendment Bill pic.twitter.com/2rDE9LKhRB

— NDTV (@ndtv) April 16, 2026

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)

#Delimitation: Let the flames of resistance spread across Tamil Nadu!
Let the arrogance of the fascist BJP be brought down!
🔥 Then, the fire of resistance against #HindiImposition that rose from Tamil Nadu scorched Delhi. It quietened only after Delhi was forced to yield.
🔥… pic.twitter.com/9zSaH9PBvL

— M.K.Stalin - தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) April 16, 2026

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.

आज से शुरू हो रही संसद की विशेष बैठक में हमारा देश नारी सशक्तिकरण के लिए ऐतिहासिक कदम उठाने जा रहा है। हमारी माताओं-बहनों का सम्मान राष्ट्र का सम्मान है और यही भावना लेकर हम इस दिशा में दृढ़ता से आगे बढ़ रहे हैं।
व्युच्छन्ती हि रश्मिभिर्विश्वमाभासि रोचनम्।
ता त्वामुषर्वसूयवो… pic.twitter.com/8KWT1WLSje

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 16, 2026