‘Blow to Women’s Dignity’: PM Modi Reacts to Bill Defeat

In an address to the Nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly acknowledged the failure of a key Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at advancing women’s representation, apologising directly to women across the country.

“Today I'm here to discuss an important issue, especially for the women of this country. Every citizen of this country is witnessing how women's progress has stalled... Despite our best efforts, we haven't succeeded. Amendments could not be made in the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam. And I apologise to all the mothers and sisters in the nation for this,” he said.

The bill, often referred to as the “Women’s Power Bill,” could not secure enough votes in the Lok Sabha, effectively stalling the government’s push for expanded women’s reservation.

What Was the Bill Trying to Achieve?

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill sought to significantly expand the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats while reserving 33 per cent of those seats for women.

The proposal was linked with a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census, which would redraw constituency boundaries and proportionately increase seats across states.

However, the government’s plan hinged on passing all three interconnected bills together, including the Delimitation Bill and amendments to Union Territories laws.

Why Did the Bill Fail?

The bill was defeated during a division in the Lok Sabha, with 298 members voting in favour and 230 against—falling short of the required majority for a constitutional amendment.

Opposition parties including Indian National Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party opposed the bill.

While they reiterated support for women’s reservation in principle, they objected to linking it with delimitation. Their demand was to implement reservation within the existing Lok Sabha strength.

What Did PM Modi Say About the Opposition?

The Prime Minister sharply criticised opposition parties, accusing them of prioritising political interests over national interest.

“For us, the nation's interest is paramount. But when for some people party interest becomes everything, when party interest overshadows the nation's interest, then women's power, the nation's interest... has to bear the consequences. This is exactly what has happened this time too,” he said.

He further alleged that their actions undermined women’s dignity.

“Yesterday, crores of women across the country had their eyes on Parliament. It was deeply painful to see that when this proposal in the interest of women was defeated, parties like Congress, DMK, SP, and TMC were applauding. By taking away women's rights, they were thumping their desks. Those were not just thumps on the desk, they were blows to the dignity and self-respect of women.”

He also added a pointed remark: “Woman forgets everything, but never forgets her insult.”

What Happens Next?

Following the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill, the government chose not to proceed with the two linked bills.

This effectively pauses any immediate expansion of Lok Sabha seats and delays the implementation of enhanced women’s reservation under the proposed framework.

The political debate is now likely to shift toward whether a standalone women’s reservation bill—without delimitation—can find broader consensus.

(With inputs from ANI)