16 April,2026 04:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. File Pic
The Opposition has stepped up coordination efforts to ensure all its Members of Parliament (MPs) are present in Parliament during voting on the delimitation exercise.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Sanjay Raut said that senior leaders have been given responsibility to bring parties together. He noted that Uddhav Thackeray shares good relations with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and has been asked to coordinate with her to ensure her party's MPs attend the session and vote against the bill, reported the PTI.
Uddhav Thackeray also joined a meeting of opposition leaders through video conferencing as part of these efforts, reported PTI.
Raut claimed that the government believes MPs from states, such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry may skip the session due to elections in their respective states. Rejecting this, he said, "The government is under the illusion. All TMC and DMK MPs and members from Kerala will be in Parliament."
He added that the Opposition has already started working to ensure unity and full attendance. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said that senior Opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, have been assigned coordination responsibilities.
The Rajya Sabha MP added that Thackeray and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee share cordial relations, and therefore, it was decided that that the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief would speak to Banerjee to ensure that her Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs are present in Parliament and vote against the Bill, asserting, "this bill won't be allowed to pass."
The debate comes as the government plans to introduce amendments to the women's reservation law, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, during a special three-day Parliament session from April 16 to 18.
Alongside this, three key bills were introduced:
- The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026
- The Delimitation Bill, 2026
- The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026
These bills propose increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to a maximum of 850 to implement 33 per cent reservation for women before the 2029 general elections, based on delimitation using the 2011 Census. They also propose increasing seats in state and Union Territory assemblies.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have criticised the move, saying the bills are being used to push delimitation under the cover of women's reservation.
Raut said the government lacks the required two-thirds majority to pass the bill and described it as a political move rather than a genuine effort for women's empowerment.
The Congress also alleged that the intent behind the bills is "mischievous" and said they should be rejected in their current form. Opposition leaders have maintained that Parliament should not be "hijacked by flawed delimitation bills disguised as women's reservation."
(With PTI Inputs)
