The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a stringent three-line whip to its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliaments (MPs), mandating full attendance from April 16 (Thursday) to April 18 (Saturday), for a pivotal three-day special Parliament session centered on amending the Women’s Reservation Act. This move signals the government’s determination to push through major constitutional changes despite opposition fire, including a fresh broadside from Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the timing of being a “political mileage” grab during state polls.
BJP’s whip: No excuses, full house attendance required
In a letter circulated on April 12 (Sunday), BJP leaders directed all MPs and Union Ministers to be present throughout the session, with no leave granted and uninterrupted attendance enforced. The whip underscores the session’s gravity: “Presence in the House is mandatory. Members are requested to strictly comply.” This rare three-line directive, reserved for must-pass legislation, aims to ensure a rock-solid majority as bills expand Lok Sabha seats and activate women’s quotas using 2011 census data, bypassing stalled fresh census efforts.
अब नारी की आवाज गूंजेगी देश की संसद में! 🇮🇳
नारी शक्ति वंदन सिर्फ एक कानून नहीं, बल्कि हर भारतीय महिला के आत्मसम्मान और नीति-निर्माण में उनकी सक्रिय भागीदारी का प्रमाण है।
जब संसद में महिलाओं की संख्या 74 से बढ़कर 273 होगी, तब देश के हर बड़े फैसले—चाहे वो अर्थव्यवस्था हो,… pic.twitter.com/Uqz66P6uCV
— BJP (@BJP4India) April 12, 2026
What is the main agenda of Parliament special session?
The 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam reserves 33 per cent seats for women in Parliament and assemblies, but ties implementation to post-census delimitation. With census delays persisting, the government plans amendments to proceed via 2011 figures, potentially ballooning Lok Sabha to 816 seats (273 reserved for women) ahead of 2029 polls. The session, kicking off Thursday (April 16), focuses on these tweaks amid ongoing state elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and others ending April 29.
Mallikarjun Kharge’s counter-letter: Plea for post-poll all-party meeting
Hours before the whip, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge fired back at PM Modi’s session invite in a detailed letter. He slammed the government for excluding opposition input, withholding delimitation details, and timing the session during polls for electoral edge.
In his letter to PM Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge declares “no confidence, no details,” arguing the special Parliament session lacks opposition consultation and delimitation specifics, making “useful discussion” impossible on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. He rejects Modi’s consultation claims outright, highlighting opposition calls for an all-party meeting post-April 29 polls.
Kharge accuses the government of hurrying implementation during elections for “political mileage,” not women’s empowerment, while citing a “trust deficit” from demonetisation, GST mishaps, census delays, and federal lapses like ignored Finance Commission recommendations. He urges delaying for a post-poll all-party meet to truly “strengthen our democracy” by hearing all states.