Meghalaya BJP Prabhari Anil Antony on Monday said had the three amendment bills brought by the NDA government in the Lok Sabha been passed, every state in India, including Meghalaya, stood to gain enhanced parliamentary representation along with assured space for women in the legislative framework, describing the stalled measures as a missed opportunity to advance gender equity in democratic institutions.
He said that under the proposed changes, “every state in India including the state of Meghalaya, could have seen an increase in Lok Sabha seat currently Meghalaya have two Lok Sabha MPs and it would have become three. And it would have ensure that at least one out of three MPs in the state of Meghalaya also would always have been a woman.”
Referring to the special session, he noted that “three bills were moved by the union government. One was The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the second was The Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the third was The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026,” adding that the measures were aimed at ensuring “that the women of the country who constitute more than 50% of our population gets equality and fairness in our democratic processes.”
However, he alleged that “in the two days where the session took place, Indi Alliance members, the Congress Party, Samajwadi Party the TMC, the DMK, they all unfortunately subbotage the bill and finally, the bill that was moved by Prime Minister with the sole intention to ensure justice and fairness and democratic participation for our women, it fail through.”
Tracing the legislative history, he said, “this is not the first time the kind of activities have happened which was led by the Congress Party. There was a track record a very clear track record of similar happening in the past also. In 1996, it was the first time, then the Prime Minister HD Devegowda government where the women’s reservation bill was bought by the government for the first time at that point of time also, the Congress party that was giving them outside support did not supported and the bill got subbotage. On multiple occasions the bill got subbotage in similar way.”
He added that “in 2023, Narendra Modi government pass the Women’s Reservation Bill and since in 2023 the NDA government had a very clear majority the Congress had no other option but the supported it, when obstruction was no longer possible.” According to him, “however according to the bill that was passed into 2023, it was linked to the delimitation process and the census, the census of the currently ongoing census which will only be over by 2027. And in the version that was passed in 2027, with that version would have been possible only to introduce the women’s reservation bill and make it applicable by 2034.”
He said the recent session was convened “to ensure that it is dealing from the delimitation process and that in 2029 itself the bill can become a reality,” but maintained that “once again, when it was moved in the Parliament, the Congress party and the Indi Alliance members they created a lot of false narration and ensured that the bill does not go through.”
Citing the Union government’s position, he said the Home Minister had clarified that provisions were being considered “where no state will lose any existing seats and every state, a 50% increase in seats will be done in a equitable manner,” so that “the current composition of the Parliament will be absolutely maintained,” reiterating that Meghalaya “could have seen an increase in Lok Sabha seat currently Meghalaya have two Lok Sabha MPs and it would have become three,” ensuring women’s representation within that expansion.
