According to reports by NDTV, the Union cabinet approved a measure last evening that will guarantee women receive 33% of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly. However, the administration has not yet made an announcement about it and omitted the usual briefing that follows the cabinet meeting.
The prime minister’s statement earlier today that “historic decisions” will be made in this extraordinary session had stoked curiosity in the meeting. A number of significant talks were place beforehand as well; Home Minister Amit Shah met with Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi and Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. JP Nadda, the head of the BJP, attended the meeting as well.
There was talk that the cabinet may approve anything, including a change to the name of the nation, a reserve for women or Other Backward Classes, and “One Nation One Election.”
After the meeting, there were expectations for clarification, but the tension persisted when the administration skipped the expected briefing.