Women's Bill to be brought in LS during Monsoon Session

Government today said the controversial Women's Reservation Bill would be brought for consideration in the Lok Sabha in the Monsoon Session of Parliament -- a move apparently aimed at dividing opposition unity.

"We hope to bring it in the Lok Sabha. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has announced on the floor of the Lok Sabha that we will bring it after consultation with all concerned. We will carry out some consultations," Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal told reporters.

The Constitution (108th amendment) Bill, seeking to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha amid stiff opposition from parties like Samajwadi Party, RJD and JD(U).

The Yadav trio -- Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad and Sharad -- have been staunchly opposed to the bill in the current form and wanted a quota within quota for women belonging to OBCs and minorities.

The bill, hanging fire for over a decade, was passed in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year with the Congress, BJP and the Left joining hands. The move had helped break the opposition unity on the issue of price rise.

This time, opposition has given enough hints of making common cause on a variety of issues including price rise, fuel price hike and civil nuclear liability bill.