Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday criticised opposition parties in the Lok Sabha, alleging that members of the INDIA bloc were opposing women’s reservation through “ifs and buts” while debating key constitutional amendment and delimitation-related Bills in Parliament.

The remarks came during his reply in the Lok Sabha on discussions surrounding the Women’s Reservation Bill, the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026. Shah said the government’s intent was to ensure the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act in a time-bound manner, with an aim to enable its enforcement from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

He asserted that no political party had openly opposed women’s reservation, but accused opposition members of undermining the proposal by attaching conditions and reservations to its implementation. He further said the reforms were aligned with the constitutional principle of “one person, one vote, one value,” which he described as a foundational idea of India’s democratic framework.

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Shah also defended the proposed delimitation exercise, arguing that it would not reduce the political representation of southern states as being feared by critics. He said the restructuring would proportionately increase the number of seats while maintaining the existing balance of representation in Parliament. Citing examples, he stated that states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala would see an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats, while their overall share in representation would remain largely consistent.

He further argued that opposition to delimitation was, in effect, opposition to increasing representation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. According to him, the government’s proposals were aimed at ensuring equitable representation across regions while expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha in line with demographic changes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated in the debate earlier, assuring Parliament that the delimitation process would not discriminate against any region. He emphasised that the proportional representation of states would be preserved even as the total number of seats increases, stating that the government’s intention was clear and fair.

The debate in the Lok Sabha continued late into the night, reflecting sharp political divisions over the timing and implications of the proposed constitutional and electoral reforms, particularly in relation to women’s reservation and federal representation.

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