The UPA government has suggested a new bill to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures and reserve 33 per cent of them for women. One point that emerges clearly from the debate is that neither the political parties nor the government are clear on certain important issues, including how many seats will be added and on what basis. Increasing the number of seats in the Lok Sabha by amending the Constitution would go against the spirit of the 91st amendment and the National Population Policy, 2000 that freezes the expansion of seats until 2026.
