The current NDA government at the Centre seems determined to redraw the country’s electoral map by proposing a cap of 850 seats for the Lok Sabha and a likely uniform 50% increase for state assemblies. This figure includes around 270 seats to be reserved for women under a quota system from 2029 Lok Sabha elections onwards.

That is the reason why a special three-day session of the Parliament has been called from April 16. During the special sitting, three bills—the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026—will be introduced for discussion, as their drafts have already been circulated among MPs.

The law minister is said to introduce the first two bills while the home minister will move the third.

Though the number of increases is to be decided by the Delimitation Commission, government sources say Lok Sabha and assembly seats are likely to see a near-uniform percentage increase across states.

What form the core of the proposal are seven constitutional amendments, including key changes to Articles 55, 81, 82, 170, 330, 332 and 334A. The amendment to Article 81 lays the groundwork for expanding the Lok Sabha from 543 to around 816 seats, with a cap of 850 – a limit sources say is unlikely to be revised in the foreseeable future.

As per constitutional provision, these amendments will require a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, making support from key Opposition parties such as Congress, SP, Trinamool and DMK crucial. It will also require ratification by half of the Indian states.

This move virtually aims to accommodate a 33% quota for women, roughly translating to 273 seats. On the census basis for delimitation, the bill allows population figures to be determined from a census “as Parliament may by law decide,” utilising the latest data.

A three-member Delimitation Commission, to be led by a current or retired judge and include Election Commission of India representation, will redraw constituencies.

The proposed law also aims to extend the quota to Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry, with ECI acting as the delimitation authority for assembly segments in Pakistan-occupied J&K, where 24 seats remain vacant.

The fact that the current law had linked reservation to post-2027 census delimitation, it could be effective only for the 2034 General Elections. This change effectively speeds up the timeline for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam by five years, aiming to have the full quota in place for the 2029 elections, with the reservation lasting for 15 years unless it is extended.

One certain fallout of this move is that it will lead to a major churn in political strongholds, as the proposed reservation of seats for women will be rotated across constituencies.