2 min readNew DelhiApr 18, 2026 06:23 PM IST
Two MPs from the Congress and seven from the All India Trinamool Congress were among the 11 Lok Sabha MPs who were absent during voting on the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which, according to the government, was aimed at increasing representation in the House by fast-tracking implementation of women’s reservation, on Friday.
According to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s statement in the House on Friday evening, the amendment, which required two-thirds MPs to back it, saw 489 MPs voting with 278 Ayes and 211 Noes with zero abstentions as per voting in Division 1.
After the voting pattern was assessed, the final figure, according to sources, showed 528 out of 542 Lok Sabha members participated, with 298 voting in favour, 230 against, and 11 absent. Sources said the absentees included seven MPs from the Trinamool Congress, two from the Congress, and two from among the seven Independent MPs.
Three of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha are vacant. The BJP has the highest number of MPs at 240, and the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA’s) total tally is 293.
Opposition MPs include the Congress (98 seats), Samajwadi Party (37), Trinamool Congress (28), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (22), Shiv Sena (UBT) (nine), Nationalist Congress Party–Sharad Pawar faction (eight), CPI (M) (four), Rashtriya Janata Dal (four), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (four), Indian Union Muslim League (three), Aam Aadmi Party (three), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (three), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (two), Communist Party of India (two), CPI(ML) (two), National Conference (two), Kerala Congress (one), Bharat Adivasi Party (one), Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) (one), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (one), Revolutionary Socialist Party (one), All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (one), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (one), Shiromani Akali Dal (one), Zoram People’s Movement (one), and Independents (seven).
