The government is preparing for a second try at one of its most ambitious pieces of legislation. Top government sources say the Centre may convene a special session of Parliament later this month to take up constitutional amendment bills on delimitation and women’s reservation, and that it now believes it has the numbers to get them through.

There is no official announcement yet, and the final dates and legislative agenda have not been confirmed.

A second attempt after the April defeat

The bills have a troubled history this year. On April 17, during the Budget Session, the Constitution amendment bill linked to delimitation and the implementation of women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was defeated in the Lok Sabha. It was a rare setback for the Modi government.

The Centre then planned to bring the legislation back in the Monsoon Session. That did not happen. Reports say the NEET exam leak controversy and the fallout from Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Education Minister, which followed the CJP agitation and the protests over the SIR exercise, took over the agenda.

Why the government says it is ready

A constitutional amendment needs a special majority, meaning two-thirds of the members present and voting and a majority of the House’s total strength. Sources say the government’s position has improved since April. According to reports, 20 Trinamool Congress MPs and six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs have switched sides, though the parties’ own positions on this have not been established in what I could verify.

The Centre is also said to be in talks with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to secure its support, and to be in touch with some smaller Opposition parties to increase its numbers before a vote. The DMK’s role matters because southern states have long worried that a fresh delimitation could shrink their share of seats in Parliament.

How a special sitting would work

The route is available because the Monsoon Session, which ended on August 13, has not been prorogued. That lets the government call a special sitting without formally starting a new session. Sources say about a week’s notice could be given.

The dates are likely to be fixed with the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in mind. The forum is scheduled at Samvidhan Sadan on October 26 and 27.

The backdrop

The timing is politically charged. Opposition parties are protesting against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and the government faces questions on several fronts. Passing the bills in this climate would be a significant show of strength. Losing again would be a second defeat on the same legislation.

What to watch

Four things will tell the story: whether a formal notice goes out, how the DMK and other parties respond, whether the claimed defections hold when it comes to voting, and what the Opposition does in the House. Until the government confirms, the numbers remain a claim made through sources.

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