New Delhi, April 18 -- The Constitutional amendment bill to increase the overall number of seats in the Lok Sabha not being passed in Parliament should not be seen as a failure of the Union government, but as a loss for women who have been denied participation in decision-making, Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday.

The minister went on to say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while chairing the Union Cabinet meeting, also pointed out that the Opposition, particularly the Congress, will have to face the consequences of denying women their rights.

A day after the central government's bid to push a Constitution amendment bill to expand the size of the Lok Sabha and fast-track 33% reservation for women faile...