Opinion: Women's Quota Bill Done, Debate over Delimitation

The Women's Reservation Bill has triggered an intense debate about the expected delimitation or redrawing of constituencies after 2026. The Bill will be implemented after the delimitation exercise is completed on the basis of the first Census after it clears Parliament.

The delimitation exercise is likely to result in the redrawing of boundaries of constituencies based on the latest population numbers, and this will lead to an increase in the strength of Lok Sabha. The new Parliament has the capacity to seat 888 MPs in Lok Sabha.

In 2001, parliament cleared the 91st amendment to the Constitution, extending the 25-year-old freeze on the total number and state-wise distribution of seats in Lok Sabha till the year 2026.