Lok Sabha Membership May Rise to 850 After Delimitation

A special session of Parliament is set to begin on April 16 and will continue for three days. During this session, the government will introduce bills related to delimitation. The session is expected to be stormy, as opposition parties are strongly opposing the proposals and rejecting the government’s arguments.

Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states such as Telangana and Tamil Nadu have raised concerns over the government’s intentions. Amid rising political tensions, the debate continues over why the opposition is protesting, what the government’s stance is, and how many seats in Parliament may increase.

Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026: This bill proposes a major change in the structure of the Lok Sabha by increasing the number of members from the current 543 to 850 (815 from states and 35 from Union Territories).

Delimitation Bill, 2026: This bill provides for the establishment of a Delimitation Commission, to be chaired by a judge of the Supreme Court, to redistribute seats among states, redraw constituency boundaries, and determine reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and women based on the latest census data.

Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026: This bill aims to align the laws of Union Territories with the revised constitutional framework related to delimitation and reservation for women.