Women's Reservation Bill lapses

The Women's Reservation Bill has lapsed after the bill, which was passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010 and was sent for the approval of the Lok Sabha, was never taken up in the Lower House.

Calling it "unfortunate", Congress leader Manish Tewari told ANI, "It is unfortunate that it lapsed. This is a commitment that all political parties made to the nation. Every attempt must be made to give Indian women their due in the system."

CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan told ANI, "More than 10 years have passed since the bill was presented but it has still not been passed. The bill was envisaged first by CPI leader Geeta Mukherjee but since she passed away (in 2000), both the Congress and the BJP have been in power and both have talked about it, yet it has not been passed in the parliament."

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Shobha Oza said, "We did not have the majority in the Lok Sabha to be able to pass it. In the Rajya Sabha we were able to get the majority and we passed the bill. I hope that in the coming parliamentary sessions, the bill is presented again so that it can be passed."

The bill reserves 33 percent of seats in the parliament and legislative assemblies. In order to be passed, the government will have to make a fresh presentation of it in the parliament.