Lok Sabha seats will increase from 543 to 816? Special session of Parliament called from April 16

New Delhi: The current budget session of Parliament has been extended for the purpose of passing the Women’s Reservation Bill. Now the next meeting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be on 16 April. According to sources, a three-day meeting of both the houses can be held between April 16 and 18. As per the previously scheduled schedule, the budget session was to end on Thursday itself. According to sources, the government may bring a bill related to amendment in the Nari Shakti Vandan Act related to women’s reservation during the next three days of proceedings in the current budget session, which will also increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha.

Government brainstormed with many parties
According to a draft of the government, after the implementation of women’s reservation, the number of Lok Sabha seats will be increased from 543 to 816, and out of these, 273 seats will be reserved for women. It is being told that the government has brainstormed with many parties regarding this draft. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha that the House will be adjourned today and will meet again soon for a ‘very important’ bill. He said that the government requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan, based on which the meetings of both the Houses have been adjourned till April 16.

Parliament adjourned till 16 April
Speaker Om Birla said in the Lok Sabha, ‘I have received a request today from the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. According to him, we will meet again on April 16, at which time necessary government work will be done. There will be no Question Hour, Zero Hour and any non-government work at that time. After this the House meeting was adjourned till 11 am on April 16. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also adjourned the meeting till 11 am on the same day.

Opposition expressed displeasure over government’s decision
Objecting to this decision, the opposition told news agency PTI that the government has informed them that there will be three meetings in the budget session from April 16 to 18. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of ‘bullying’ and said that BJP is trying to take political advantage on the issue of women’s reservation. At the same time, Union Minister and Leader of the House JP Nadda said that the government has the right to decide when a bill is to be introduced.

‘Why does Congress not want to attend the meeting?’
Responding to the opposition’s objections, Rijiju said, ‘The government is bound to fulfill the promises made to the women of the country. What is important is that the Parliament has made a commitment towards the women of the country, which it is our duty to fulfill. It has no connection with the elections of any particular state. Keeping in view the time limit, we will have to take it forward. There should be no politics on this important issue. I am not able to understand why Congress does not want to attend the meeting.

Shah held meetings with leaders of different parties
During the extended period of the session, the government is likely to introduce a Constitution Amendment Bill, through which the Nari Shakti Vandan Act will be amended. For this, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held separate meetings with the constituent parties of the National Democratic Alliance and leaders of some regional parties of the opposition. Let us tell you that in 2023, the Constitution Amendment Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Bill) was passed to give 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, but it can be implemented only after the process of delimitation.