Consensus Eludes Parties On Womens Bill

Leaders of various political parties failed to reach a consensus yesterday on the Bill providing reservation for women in legislatures and Parliament. The government decided to call another meeting on Friday.

Janata Dal working president Sharad Yadav and Samata Party president George Fernandes demanded a separate reservation for backward community women. It was this issue that had stalled the Bill during the winter session of Parliament. The Bill, which was introduced in the Monsoon session of Parliament last year, was referred to the select committee of Parliament for closer examination. The Bill proposes to reserve a third of all seats in Parliament and state Legislatures for women. Later, all finer issues - like how to implement the reservation in smaller states with one or two seats in Parliament - was settled by the committee. It was only after the committee gave its unanimous recommendation to pass the Bill with certain clarifications, issues of separate reservation for OBC women was raised in the House. Soon it became a handle for all those who were against reservation but could not say it publicly, to stall the Bill. Publicly, no political party or politician has opposed the Bill.

Parliamentary affairs minister and Janata Dal leader Srikant Kumar Jena told journalists after yesterdays hour-long meeting that none at the meeting opposed reservation for women. The Prime Minister, Jena said, told the meeting that the government was committed to provide reservation for women and all parties should see that the legislation be passed. Jena had convened the meeting at the instance of the Prime Minister.

In private, most MPs resent the Bill fearing they might not get tickets to contest in the next elections if the Bill was passed.

Alemao Churchil Braz of the United Goan Democratic Party (UGDP), suggested that the percentage of reservation should be reduced. Home Minister Indrajit Gupta, Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Law and Justice Minister Ramakant D. Khalap also attended the meeting.

Others who attended the meeting include Jaswant Singh of the BJP, Biplab Dasgupta of the CPI(M), Geeta Mukherjee of the CPI and N V N Somu of the DMK.