The Hindu : Consensus still eludes women's bill, says PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2003

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Consensus still eludes women's bill, says PM

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL 29. The Government was serious about bringing a bill on women's political reservation and would do so in this very session of Parliament but a consensus on the subject remained elusive, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, said today.

At the Bharatiya Janata Party's parliamentary party meeting this morning, he said the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, was making an effort to evolve a consensus on the long-awaited legislation and that she had his good wishes.

It was pointed out that the Congress wanted the legislation in its original form — 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

But some other parties were veering round to the idea of making it mandatory for political parties to select at least 33 per cent women candidates for the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies.

And there were other parties who favoured lowering of the reservation percentage to 10 or 15 per cent.

As if to press home its point, a Congress delegation — Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee and Shivraj Patil — met the Prime Minister this morning to remind him that the party was in favour of 33 per cent reservation for women.

Apparently, Ms. Swaraj is still continuing her talks with party leaders on the issue. And though the BJP is not stating this officially, it seems it would be more than happy if there was a consensus on amending the law to make it mandatory for political parties to select 33 per cent women candidates, with 33 per cent women candidates selected in each State.

At the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, advised his party's Ministers to reply to queries from members which often go unanswered. Among other issues raised by MPs were Statehood for Andaman and Nicobar Islands and remunerative prices to farmers for vegetables, especially potatoes.

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