NEW DELHI, Aug 23: The Congress on Sunday questioned the delay in formally proroguing Parliament after the Monsoon session was adjourned sine die on August 13, asking whether the government was still working to secure the two-thirds majority required to introduce and pass a Constitution amendment linked to delimitation.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the gap between the adjournment and prorogation of Parliament is generally between two and four days, although there have been occasions when both occurred on the same day.
He pointed out that 10 days had passed since both Houses were adjourned sine die, with no announcement regarding their formal prorogation.
Ramesh said there had been longer gaps in 2015 and 2021, but argued that the present delay was different because, according to him, there were important political developments surrounding delimitation.
“Is the Union Home Minister still in search of his super-tainted 2/3rd majority to get the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Delimitation passed in a Special Session?” Ramesh said in a post on X.
He also shared an extract from Practice and Procedure of Parliament by M N Kaul and S L Shakdher, which explains that prorogation formally terminates a parliamentary session through an order issued by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Congress renews opposition to seat redistribution
The latest remarks come amid an ongoing political debate over the future delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies and the implementation of women’s reservation.
The Congress has demanded that the existing strength of the Lok Sabha be retained at 543 seats for another 25 years. At the same time, it has called for one-third reservation for women to be implemented from the 2029 general elections.
The Congress Working Committee reiterated this position at its recent meeting in New Delhi, calling for the current allocation of Lok Sabha seats among states to remain unchanged while women’s reservation is implemented.
The party has also accused the government of using the issue of women’s representation to advance a broader delimitation agenda.
Earlier Constitution amendment bid fell short
The dispute follows a setback for the government during the Budget session, when a Constitution Amendment Bill linked to delimitation and women’s reservation failed to secure the required support in the Lok Sabha.
Of the 528 MPs who voted, 298 supported the measure while 230 opposed it. The legislation required 352 votes, or a two-thirds majority of the total membership, to clear the constitutional threshold.
The Congress has since maintained that the government does not have the numbers needed to pass such a measure.
The party’s renewed focus on the issue comes as political parties prepare for the wider debate over delimitation, which could have significant implications for the representation of states in the Lok Sabha.
Ramesh’s latest remarks have also brought attention to the unusual gap between the adjournment and formal prorogation of the Monsoon session, with the opposition seeking an explanation for the delay.