Parliament special session: Both Houses adjourned sine die, Budget session concludes

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die on Saturday, bringing the Budget Session to a close a day after the women’s reservation Bill, tabled by the Centre, failed to secure two-third majority in the Lok Sabha and the decision to defer the contentious delimitation proposal amid Opposition pushback.Proceedings in both Houses concluded without any further legislative business, drawing the curtain on a session that ended on a politically charged note. As the House met at 11 am, Speaker Om Birla read out his concluding remarks, after which he adjourned the Lok Sabha sine die. The special session of Parliament, which began on April 16 and continued over three days of heated debate in both Houses, concluded a day after a Constitution amendment Bill seeking to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029—through an increase in the strength of the Lower House from 543 to 816—was defeated following a division of votes.The women’s reservation amendment Bill secured 278 votes in favour and 211 against in the Lok Sabha, falling short of the special two-thirds majority required for passage. A three-day sitting of Parliament was held from April 16 to discuss and pass three key bills- the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The adjournment follows the government’s move to put the delimitation Bill on hold after the quota legislation failed to clear the House, amid strong opposition resistance and lack of consensus among parties.