India: Modi’s Women’s Quota Bill Fails in Parliament
New Delhi — India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered a significant political setback as his proposed bill to reserve 33% of parliamentary seats for women failed to secure the required votes in parliament.The controversial legislation, which also included a proposal to expand the total number of parliamentary seats from the current 543 to over 800,…
New Delhi — India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered a significant political setback as his proposed bill to reserve 33% of parliamentary seats for women failed to secure the required votes in parliament.
The controversial legislation, which also included a proposal to expand the total number of parliamentary seats from the current 543 to over 800, was rejected amid fierce opposition.
Opposition parties strongly criticized the government, accusing it of exploiting the women’s empowerment agenda to restructure parliament in a way that would disproportionately benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Critics argued that the seat expansion plan was a political maneuver designed to consolidate Modi’s grip on power rather than a genuine effort to increase women’s representation in Indian democracy.
The bill’s failure marks a rare legislative defeat for the Modi government and reignites debate over gender equality and political reform in the world’s largest democracy.
