Women's Bill: consensus eluding parties

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 24. Efforts to build a consensus on `other ways' to increase representation of women in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures may not make much headway going by the mixed bag of reactions by various political parties on the issue.

Hanging fire for the last three years, the Constitutional amendment bill providing for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and Assemblies has virtually been abandoned with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, saying the Government would work to build a consensus on it in `some other way'.

The option to amend the Representation of the People Act making it mandatory for parties to set apart a a fixed percentage of seats for women candidates has evoked favourable response from some opponents - the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (United) - to the Bill in the current form.

Yet, those who were extending support to the Bill as it is, maintained their commitment. The CPI-M politburo member, Mr Prakash Karat, was categorical the party was not considering any other option and supported the Bill in the current form.

He said it was the responsibility of the BJP-led Government to push through the legislation especially since major opposition parties like the Left, the Congress and the AIADMK were supporting it. Even the Telugu Desam, a prime NDA ally, was backing the Bill.

The Congress which stood committed to the Bill, had earlier reaffirmed its rejection of a proposal to amend the RPA enabling the Election Commission to decide on the implementation of the quota. Senior leader, Mrs Ambika Soni, today reiterated it was the responsibility of the Government to work for the Bill's passage.

The Samajwadi Party which had been vocal in opposing the Bill in the current form, indicated agreement to 10 per cent reservation through an amendment in the RPA and the JD-U too favoured the amendment on a percentage to be evolved by consensus.

Though part of the National Democratic Alliance, members of the Shiv Sena and the Samata party have also opposed the Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Even though Samata party officially decided to back the Bill, some MPs including Mr. Prabhunath Singh made their opposition known.

The problem before the BJP is as much to do with the disagreement with some of its allies as much in the opposition. The JD-U Chief, Mr Sharad Yadav's differences with the leadership when he was in the United Front government is part of history.

Apart from endorsing amendment of the RPA as a way out, the party general secretary and spokesman, Mr. Mohan Prakash, said another option could be to grant veto rights to women MPs/MLAs on bills concerning women.

The RJD, which goes with the demand of sub-quota was willing to consider the option to amend the RPA according to its spokesman, Mr Mohammed Shahid.

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