On April 17, the Modi government suffered its first constitutional amendment defeat in twelve years when the Constitution (131st Amendment)...

On April 17, the Modi government suffered its first constitutional amendment defeat in twelve years when the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill — bundling 33% women's reservation with a plan to expand Lok Sabha from 543 to roughly 850 seats — failed to secure a two-thirds majority, going down 298-230. The opposition called it a masterclass in legislative camouflage: wrap a massive electoral redistribution that would disadvantage southern states inside a bill nobody could publicly oppose without looking anti-women. Rahul Gandhi called it an unconstitutional trick done in women's name. After the defeat, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju quietly withdrew the companion Delimitation Bill, confirming that the two were always a package deal. NDA then announced nationwide protests against the opposition — for voting against women's rights, not against the 300 extra seats.