Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the discussion on the three Bills to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission will last between 15 to 18 hours, with voting scheduled for 4 pm on April 17.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested a 12-hour debate on the bills but said the decision to extend that would be taken by the Speaker.

Earlier, Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Amit Shah introduced three bills aimed at amending the women’s reservation law and establishing a delimitation panel in Lok Sabha. The proposal was strongly criticised by the opposition, calling them ‘anti-constitutional’ and a threat to country's federal structure.

'The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026', 'The Delimitation Bill, 2026' and 'The Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2026' were introduced in the Lok Sabha. According to the draft Constitution amendment bill, Lok Sabha seats will be increased to a maximum of 850 from the current 543 to ‘operationalise’ the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.