The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to begin in early December, with the Centre prioritizing the Constitution amendment bill to expand Lok Sabha seats to 850 and implement 33% women’s quota before 2029.
Published: November 15, 2026, 7:09 PM IST
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Parliament session: The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to commence in the first week of December, with the delimitation-linked women’s reservation bill emerging as the Centre’s top legislative priority amid escalating political friction over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rollsPushing ahead with the key Constitution amendment bill, the government aims to expand the Lok Sabha’s maximum strength from 543 to 850 seats through delimitation, paving the way to roll out 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures before the 2029 general elections.
A PTI report said that the first week of December was emerging as the likely window for the session, with the possible dates discussed at the highest levels of the governmentHowever, securing the numbers for the crucial legislation could prove challengingThe bill requires a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, or 361 votes in the present 543-member HouseWith three vacancies, the House has 540 members at present.
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The ruling NDA has 320 members and would need the support of opposition parties to cross the threshold.
The political challenge extends beyond numbersOpposition parties, which have stepped up their campaign against the SIR and are demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, are expected to take their protests to Parliament, potentially setting the stage for another stormy session.
A ruling alliance MP said debate and voting on a Constitution amendment bill would not be possible unless the House functioned in an orderly manner.
The government, however, appears confident of overcoming the numerical hurdleA senior government functionary on Thursday expressed confidence that the bill would be passed with a margin of 15 to 18 votesMeanwhile, the government’s decision to keep the Monsoon session alive without formally proroguing it has further fuelled speculation about the timing and conduct of the next sitting.
Story highlights:
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Likely Session Window: Discussions at the highest levels of government indicate that the Winter Session of Parliament is expected to begin in the first week of December.
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Top Legislative Priority: The Centre is keen to pass the Constitution amendment bill linking delimitation with the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies ahead of the 2029 polls.
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Lok Sabha Seat Expansion: The proposed legislation seeks to raise the Lok Sabha’s strength from the current 543 seats to a maximum of 850 through fresh delimitation.
The Monsoon session was adjourned sine die (for an indefinite period) on August 13 and has remained unprorogued for 94 days, surpassing the previous record of 87 days set in 2008.
The government is learnt to be exploring a formula under which Lok Sabha seats would be increased by 50 per cent across states to address concerns, particularly among southern states, over the implications of delimitation.
(With inputs from agencies)
