Ahead of a special Parliament session from April 16 to 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is poised to take a significant step towards women's empowerment. He stated that respect for women is crucial for national respect. However, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, voiced strong opposition, claiming the government's proposal threatens the representation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Dalits, and Adivasis. Gandhi insisted that any delimitation should be based on the upcoming 2026 Census and include caste census data. He accused the government of attempting to manipulate representation through gerrymandering. The government's plan includes amending the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which was passed in 2023, to implement women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections. The proposal aims to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850, with 815 designated for states and 35 for Union Territories. Opposition to the delimitation bill has intensified, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin burning a copy of the bill and initiating statewide protests against it.