In a major setback for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the women's quota bill failed the crucial two-step floor test on day two of the special session in Parliament.
Despite concerted efforts from PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to convince MPs to push the bill through the Lok Sabha, it failed to meet the 2/3 majority required to pass.
As a result, women MPs from the NDA carried out a protest against the Opposition at the 'Makar Dwar' premises of the Parliament building.
#WATCH | Delhi | Women NDA MPs protest in the Parliament premises after the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 fails to pass in Lok Sabha pic.twitter.com/xAT1xeyBLs
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2026
They added that this would be continued with a larger, nationwide protest from Saturday onwards—outside the houses of MPs belonging to the INDIA alliance.
"Mahila shakti ka apman, kathai nahi sahegi hindustan (India will not tolerate an insult to women power)," read one of the signboards carried by women NDA MPs protesting on the streets.
This comes after the BJP termed the move a setback for women's political rights in the country, while the Opposition has claimed that it was only opposed to the delimitation bill linked to the women's quota bill—and not 'Nari Shakti' in itself.
#WATCH | Delhi | Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "It has been a very convincing victory. The BJP fell 52 votes short of the two-thirds they needed to pass the constitutional amendment... We are feeling a certain sense of triumph. this is not a vote against women's reservation,… pic.twitter.com/gO2PV2APrA
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2026
The party also plans to highlight the issue in the upcoming West Bengal and Tamil Nadu elections as the Opposition's rejection of a chance to expand seats and implement reservations by 2029.
How NDA MPs reacted to the developments
"The entire INDI alliance ... have betrayed women, broken their trust," declared BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj.
#WATCH | Delhi: BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj says, "Today was supposed to be the day of fulfilling promises. It was the day to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Act; it seems that only political self-interest prevailed over the Congress party and the entire INDI alliance. They have… pic.twitter.com/HwZvcgVHqs
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2026
"The opposition will suffer huge losses due to this in the coming days. We do not need to protest. Half the population will oppose it themselves. We will not rest until we implement women's reservation," Union Minister and LJP MP Chirag Paswan said about the move.
#WATCH | Delhi: Union Minister and LJP MP Chirag Paswan says, "The opposition has made one thing clear today that the INDIA alliance is an anti-women alliance...The opposition will suffer huge losses due to this in the coming days. We do not need to protest. Half the population… pic.twitter.com/mhoJyvbKUL
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2026
"The nation's women will not forgive Rahul Gandhi and INDI alliance ... They did a huge injustice and betrayed the women of the nation," stated BJP MP Poonamben Maadam, holding up a plaque in protest of the move.
#WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Poonamben Maadam says, "It had been decided in 2023, that till the 2029 General Elections, the women's reservation Bill will be implemented across the nation. When the government came with this Bill, INDI alliance, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,… https://t.co/OMF5TkFci3 pic.twitter.com/RnMRYh8CSV
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2026
"Maybe they are not interested in you know, protecting the women or encouraging the women, and you have seen Rahul Gandhi's speech there. He called PM Modi a magician, but I can call him a joker," TDP MP Byereddy Shabari told reporters.
#WATCH | Delhi: TDP MP Byreddy Shabari says, "INDI alliance, how they are totally against women's reservation and delimitation, which is useful for the country and which is useful for the women of the country. Maybe they are not interested in you know, protecting the women or… pic.twitter.com/QbxRVdoz1R
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2026
