The Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government was outnumbered in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, and was not able to pass its original Bill regarding the Backward Classes Commission. The Opposition managed to reconstitute the commission and change its composition with the amendments passed to the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill.

Several BJP legislators were missing from the House on Monday, making it easier for the Opposition to pass the amendments. Some reports said up to 30 MLAs were absent. The Opposition took advantage of their numbers and passed as many as four amendments on Monday.

The original Bill sought to have three members for the commission, while the Opposition insisted there be five, and that all members are from backward classes. They also amended the Bill so the commission comprises one woman member and one minority candidate from the “other backward classes” category.

Leaders of the central government objected to this, with Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saying the Congress would regret their decision in the days to come, as they had gone against the backward classes, The Statesman reported. Leader of the House, Union minister Arun Jaitley, told the Opposition if they wanted “OBC reservation to fail, then so be it”, Hindustan Times reported. Minister for social justice Thawar Chand Gehlot also objected to the amendments.

The Congress, however, did not budge.“You don’t want a woman OBC and a minority OBC as members…why are you opposing it?,” asked Congress MP Kapil Sibal. Another amendment passed was on the powers of the states under the proposed law. Amendments were passed with 74 votes against 52.

The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in April this year, but will be sent back to the Lower House now.