The Centre has organized a three-day special session where proposed changes to the Women’s Reservation Act are expected to be discussed and potentially passed.
The Congress has informed its Lok Sabha MPs that several critical issues will be addressed for discussion and voting on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
“All Congress Party members in the Lok Sabha are kindly requested to remain in the House from 11 am until adjournment on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, i.e., April 16th, 17th, & 18th, 2026, without fail, and support the Party’s position,” the party stated.
“This should be regarded as of utmost importance,” the three-line whip issued by the party indicated.
On April 12, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a three-line whip to all its MPs, urging them to be present in Parliament throughout the extended Budget Session.
In a communication to all its MPs, the BJP said, “A Three-Line Whip is being issued to all BJP Members in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from Thursday to Saturday, April 16th to 18th, 2026. All Hon’ble Union Ministers and Members are requested to maintain their presence in the House on these three specified dates,” it added.
“Attendance in the House is mandatory. No leaves will be permitted. Members must strictly adhere to the Whip and ensure uninterrupted attendance in the House,” it further noted.
On April 8, the Union Cabinet reportedly approved draft bills aimed at implementing the women’s quota ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and increasing the number of seats in the Lower House to 816, with 273 set aside for women.
On April 12, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju conveyed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that postponing the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act equates to delaying justice for millions of women. He urged the main opposition party to transcend political divides and support its enactment in 2029 for ‘nari shakti’.
Rijiju emphasized that the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ represents a long-awaited national goal and a genuine collaborative effort across the political spectrum. “It embodies the collective commitment to the women across our nation,” he stated in a letter to Kharge.
The letter was a response to Kharge’s correspondence with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the Congress leader accused the government of rushing the law’s implementation for “political gain.” Rijiju asserted that it is not merely a political matter but about “fulfilling our promise” to the daughters of India.
