PM Modi's Address: Women's Reservation Bill Defeated in Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the country at 8.30 PM tonight, one day following the Lok Sabha's failure to pass the women's reservation bill. Tensions rose after the bill, which aimed to implement quotas for women in legislatures, was voted down.

The bill proposed to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816, facilitating a 33% reservation for women after a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Similar changes were envisaged for state and union territory assemblies.

The ruling BJP-led alliance fell short of the required two-thirds majority needed for the bill's passage, with 298 in favor and 230 against, failing to reach the necessary 352 votes from the 528 members present.