Why numbers matter in the renewed effort to define

According to Article 368 of the Constitution, any constitutional amendment requires the support of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting, and at the same time constitutes a majority of all the powers of the House. File | Photo Credit: Sansad TV via PTI

Story so far: The Narendra Modi government has revived efforts to secure the quorum needed to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 and pave the way for a fresh delimitation exercise ahead of the 2029 general elections. The bill also provides a constitutional basis for the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act.

The legislation failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha when it was voted on in April 2026. Since then, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has focused on expanding the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and reaching out to regional parties that opposed or abstained.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 09:19 IST