The Janata Dal United (JDU) on Monday issued a three-line whip to all its MPs in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, directing them to remain present in the Parliament from April 16 to 18 during the upcoming special Parliament session.
JD(U), part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), currently has 12 MPs in the Lok Sabha and four in the Rajya Sabha, has asked its members to ensure their presence throughout the three-day session.
This comes ahead of the three-day special session, where the government is likely to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to streamline its implementation. The legislation aims to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also issued a similar three-line whip to all its MPs, mandating their presence from April 16 to 18.
The party in a letter said, "A Three-Line Whip is being issued to all BJP Members in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from Thursday to Saturday, 16th to 18th April 2026. All Hon'ble Union Ministers and Members are requested to remain present in the House throughout all three above-mentioned dates. Presence in the House is mandatory. No leave will be granted. Members are requested to strictly comply with the Whip and ensure their uninterrupted attendance in the House. Your cooperation is highly appreciated."
{{/usCountry}}The party in a letter said, "A Three-Line Whip is being issued to all BJP Members in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from Thursday to Saturday, 16th to 18th April 2026. All Hon'ble Union Ministers and Members are requested to remain present in the House throughout all three above-mentioned dates. Presence in the House is mandatory. No leave will be granted. Members are requested to strictly comply with the Whip and ensure their uninterrupted attendance in the House. Your cooperation is highly appreciated."
{{/usCountry}}The special Parliament session, beginning April 16, will primarily focus on amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. The Centre is reportedly planning two major changes to streamline its implementation. The original Act, passed in 2023, had linked women's reservation to the completion of a fresh Census and subsequent delimitation exercise.
However, due to delays in conducting the Census, the government is now considering proceeding with delimitation based on the 2011 Census data. The proposed amendments are expected to increase the total number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to around 816, with nearly one-third reserved for women.
The legislation, along with a proposed Delimitation Bill, is likely to be introduced as Constitutional amendments.