New Delhi: The central government is all set to bring the much-hyped Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aiming to reset the electoral framework in Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, the proposed three day-long extended budget session scheduled to start from Thursday will also witness the official introduction of Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposing a significant expansion of the Lok Sabha’s strength from the current 550 members to a maximum of 850 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, enabling fresh delimitation based on updated population data.
The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes corresponding changes to laws governing Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu & Kashmir, aligning them with the revised constitutional scheme. It also provides that the strength and composition of Legislative Assemblies in these Union Territories will be determined through the delimitation process and harmonises provisions relating to population and reservation.
The Bill aims to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
“In the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (referred to as the principal Act), in section 10, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely, provided that the number of seats allocated under this section shall be subject to readjustment of constituencies by the Delimitation Commission referred to in section 60,” reads the Bill.
Home Minister Amit Shah earlier said that the proposed amendments are largely consequential and enabling in nature, arising from the revised constitutional framework, and are intended to ensure consistency and effective implementation of the provisions relating to delimitation, representation and reservation in the Legislative Assemblies of Union territories.
“They do not involve any independent policy departure but seek to harmonise the existing statutory provisions with the amended constitutional scheme,” Shah said.
