New Delhi, October 2026 : Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene an all-party meeting to discuss proposed legislation and other measures before they are finalised for consideration in Parliament.
Kharge stressed that political parties must be given adequate time to deliberate on the proposals among themselves and consult other stakeholders. Referring to the failure of the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Delimitation to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, he cautioned the government against attempting to push through another far-reaching constitutional amendment without sufficient consultation.
“Please convene an all-party meeting to have a detailed discussion on your new proposals before they are finalised for consideration in Parliament,” Kharge wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister.
He further urged the government not to repeat what he described as an attempt to bulldoze a major constitutional amendment through Parliament. Kharge said the earlier legislation had failed to secure the necessary support in the Lok Sabha and argued that the experience underlined the need for broader political consultations.
The Congress president recalled that he had first written to Modi on April 11, 2026, requesting an all-party meeting before the introduction of any constitutional amendment relating to delimitation. According to Kharge, the government did not convene such a meeting.
He said the Bills were made public late on April 14, followed by the convening of a special parliamentary session on April 16. The legislation was subsequently introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 16 but failed to pass the following day.
Kharge added that he renewed his demand for an all-party meeting on July 16 and August 27. His latest letter, he noted, marked the fourth time he had made the request.
The Congress leader also raised concerns over the parliamentary calendar, pointing out that neither the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha had been prorogued since the Monsoon Session was adjourned on August 13, 2026.
“It has already been 64 days since the Monsoon Session of Parliament was adjourned on August 13, 2026, and both Houses of Parliament are yet to be prorogued. This scenario is unprecedented,” he said.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, along with the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on April 16. The proposed legislation was rejected on April 17 after failing to secure the required two-thirds majority.
Kharge's latest appeal seeks wider political consultation before the government moves forward with fresh proposals concerning constitutional amendments and delimitation.
