‘We Will Continue To Remove All Obstacles’: PM Modi Vows To Push Women’s Reservation

Striking a determined and conciliatory tone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assured women across the country that his government would continue to push for the women's reservation bill, vowing to remove every obstacle in its path despite the setback in Parliament.

"I also share in your pain and disappointment. Even though we did not receive 66 percent of the votes needed to pass the bill today, I know that we have the full support and blessings of women's power with us," Modi said in his address to the nation, directly acknowledging the emotional and political significance of the failed vote. Reassuring women that the government was not stepping back, he added, "We will continue to remove all obstacles that come in the way of women's reservation."

The Prime Minister also made it clear that the defeat in the Lok Sabha would not be treated as the end of the road. "Yesterday, we did not have the numbers, but that does not mean we have lost," he said, framing the setback as a temporary hurdle rather than a final defeat. His remarks signalled that the BJP intends to keep the issue alive politically and present itself as committed to delivering the long-promised 33 per cent quota for women in legislatures.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which aimed to operationalise women's reservation before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday night after the ruling alliance failed to secure the required two-thirds majority. The bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, while 352 votes were needed out of the 528 members who voted. The proposal also included increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 and expanding seats in state and Union Territory assemblies to implement the reservation framework.