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Lok Sabha seats for all states to be increased by 50%, says law minister; 272 reserved for women
The law minister further added that the total Lok Sabha seats will be upped to 815, of which 272 will be reserved for women.
Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday said Lok Sabha seats of all states will be increased by 50% after the new delimitation exercise, as Parliament reconvened for a three-day special sitting to take up bills to expand the strength of the lower House to implement the 33% women’s quota. He added that the Lok Sabha's strength would increase to 815 seats from the current 543 after the expansion.
The Delimitation Bill, 2026, The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seek to raise Lok Sabha seats and conduct delimitation based on the latest, effectively the 2011 census figures, to roll out the quota from the 2029 general elections.
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"Seats of all states will be increased by 50%. The total Lok Sabha seats would be 815, and 272 will be reserved for women," said Meghwal, calling it a simple formula to ensure no states are deprived.
The Opposition has opposed the delimitation plans. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanded that the delimitation and reservation for women should be based on the ongoing census, taking into account the caste enumeration.
The Opposition has argued that delimitation based on the 2011 census will put southern states at a disadvantage. The government has maintained that the increase will be proportional.
