Gujral Keen On Passing Womens Bill This Session

Prime Minister I K Gujral is keen to get the Bill to reserve seats in legislatures for women passed in the current session of Parliament, a parliamentary affairs ministry official claimed yesterday.

A meeting of leaders of all political parties in Parliament, called by parliamentary affairs minister Srikant Kumar Jena on Wednesday, would work on a consensus on the percentage of reservation for women, he indicated.

The Bills proposal for 33 per cent reservation has been objected to by MPs from across the political spectrum. However, the BJP, the Left parties and some others have officially demanded that 33 per cent reservation be provided.

The official said that with the Finance Bill due to be passed this Friday at 3.30 pm, there would not be much business to be transacted thereafter. This time could be utilised to take up some of the issues in the common minimum programme of the United Front.

Womens reservation is one such issue. Another promised is to set up a Lok Pal. There are, however, serious objections to the proposed provisions of the Lok Pal Bill from the principal Opposition party, the BJP, he said.

The Parliamentary Affairs official indicated that owing to such differences, the Lok Pal Bill was unlikely to be passed in the current session.