Women's Representation in Lok Sabha: TMC Leads with 38% Women MPs Amid Reservation Bill Stalemate

Hindustan Times - India · 20 Apr 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Polity and constitution High relevance

TMC has the highest percentage (38%) of women MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha, while the BJP leads in absolute numbers (31), as political debate intensifies over implementing the 33% women's reservation bill linked to delimitation.

Key points

TMC leads with 38% women MPs (11 out of 29), followed by DMK and SP at 13.5%, while BJP has 31 women MPs (13% of its 240 MPs) in absolute terms.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking to implement 33% women's reservation with Lok Sabha seat expansion, failed in Parliament amid opposition to delimitation.

Opposition parties argue for implementing the 2023 women's reservation law without delimitation, citing concerns over federal representation and caste census data.

PM Modi accused Congress, DMK, TMC, and SP of being 'anti-women' for opposing the bill, while these parties claim the government is using the issue for electoral gains.

Delimitation remains contentious, with opposition demanding it be conducted after the ongoing census, which will include OBC data for fairer representation.

[GS2-Governance] The debate highlights India's persistent gender gap in political representation, with women constituting only 14% of the current Lok Sabha.

[GS3-Economy] Delimitation-linked seat expansion could alter fiscal federalism, as resource allocation and political power are redistributed among states.

DMK proposed an alternative bill for reservation within the existing 543 seats, but it was not taken up in Parliament.

Way Forward: Implement women's reservation immediately without delimitation, conduct a caste census to inform future delimitation, and establish an all-party committee to address federal concerns in seat redistribution.

Key terms

Women's Reservation Bill 2023

The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, passed in 2023 but not implemented, reserving 33% seats for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. For UPSC, it represents a critical gender empowerment policy stalled by technical preconditions (census and delimitation).

Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

Socially and educationally disadvantaged groups recognized under Article 340, comprising about 41% of India's population. The current census's inclusion of caste data makes OBC representation a pivotal issue in delimitation and reservation debates for UPSC's social justice and governance topics.

Delimitation

The process of redrawing electoral constituency boundaries based on population changes, mandated under Article 82 of the Constitution after each census. For UPSC, it's crucial for understanding federal balance, as southern states fear losing representation to northern states with higher population growth.

Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026

A failed constitutional amendment that sought to implement 33% reservation for women in legislatures while increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816. Its defeat highlights the tension between gender justice and federal representation in India's polity.