The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced in Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026, forms part of a broader legislative package aimed at overhauling the framework for delimitation of constituencies and operationalising women's reservation in Parliament and State Assemblies. However, the Bill has been rendered infructuous and has not progressed further.
Background and Context
The Constitution mandates that seats in Lok Sabha be allocated to states in proportion to their population, with constituencies redrawn (delimited) after each census. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) froze the number of seats based on the 1971 census, a freeze extended by the 84th Amendment (2001) until the first census after 2026. The 106th Constitutional Amendment (2023) introduced one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, to take effect after the first census following its commencement. With the reference date for the ongoing census set as March 1, 2027, and the next Lok Sabha elections due in 2029, concerns arose that delimitation based on the 2027 census would not be completed in time, delaying women's reservation.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was intended to extend the delimitation framework to the Union Territories of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir, in line with the companion Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026. Key features included:
- Delimitation based on 2011 census: The Bill sought to enable delimitation using the 2011 census, bypassing the requirement to wait for the 2027 census.
- Increase in Lok Sabha strength: The maximum number of Lok Sabha members was proposed to rise from 550 to 850, with up to 815 from states and 35 from Union Territories.
- Removal of census-linked trigger for women's reservation: The Bill removed the condition linking the commencement of women's reservation to the first census after the 2023 Act, allowing it to be based on the next delimitation.
- Parliamentary discretion on delimitation: The Constitution Amendment Bill proposed to empower Parliament to decide, by simple majority, the timing of delimitation and which census to use, replacing the current constitutional mandate for delimitation after every census.
Implications and Concerns
The legislative package raised significant constitutional and political questions:
Shift in State Representation
Using the 2011 census for delimitation would alter the relative seat share of states. For instance, Tamil Nadu's seats would decrease from 39 to 32, Kerala from 20 to 15, while Uttar Pradesh would increase from 80 to 89, Bihar from 40 to 46, and Rajasthan from 25 to 30.
Change in Rajya Sabha's Relative Strength
With Lok Sabha's maximum strength rising to 850 and Rajya Sabha remaining at 250, the ratio of Lok Sabha to Rajya Sabha seats would shift from 2.2:1 to 3.3:1. This would reduce Rajya Sabha's influence in presidential and vice-presidential elections and increase Lok Sabha's power in joint sittings under Article 108.
Council of Ministers Size
Under Article 75, the Council of Ministers is capped at 15% of Lok Sabha's strength. An increase from 543 to 815 members would raise the permissible size from 81 to 122 ministers, raising concerns about executive expansion.
Impact on Parliamentary Functioning
A larger Lok Sabha would reduce each MP's time for debates, questions, and raising public issues, with ballot-based interventions becoming less likely.
Current Status
The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, along with the companion Bills, was introduced but has been marked as infructuous. It has not been passed or enacted, and the proposed changes have not taken effect.
