New Delhi: Parliament's Budget session came to a close on Saturday with the Lok Sabha being adjourned sine die, marking the end of proceedings that began in January and culminated in a high-stakes political showdown over women's reservation and delimitation.
As the House convened at 11 am, Speaker Om Birla delivered his concluding remarks before adjourning the Lok Sabha indefinitely.
The session ended a day after a united Opposition dealt a major blow to the government by defeating the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed amendment sought to redistribute Lok Sabha seats based on the 2011 Census, a move linked to the rollout of women's reservation.
The Bill secured 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the required two-thirds majority mark of 352 in a House strength of 528.
Following its defeat, the government withdrew two related legislations, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.
The Opposition described the outcome as a significant political victory. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the bloc had successfully resisted an attempt to "harm democracy, the Constitution and federalism."
Leaders of the INDIA bloc are now set to escalate the issue, with plans to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the implementation of the original Women's Reservation Bill.
They will also hold press conferences nationwide to reiterate support for women's reservation while accusing the government of attempting to redraw the country's political landscape under its pretext.
During internal deliberations, Opposition leaders congratulated one another, with Sonia Gandhi expressing gratitude to allies for their unity.
The Budget session thus concluded on a politically charged note, with the women's reservation debate and delimitation concerns likely to remain at the centre of national discourse in the months ahead.