No headway in evolving consensus on women's Bill: LS Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today said her efforts to evolve a consensus on the passage of the long-pending women's reservation bill had not made 'any headway'.

Kumar said she had held special meetings with leaders of different parties to discuss about the Bill that seeks to reserve 33 per cent of seats in Parliament and state Legislatures for women.

"I had provided a platform to arrive at a consensus. (But) We have not made any headway," she told reporters here on the sidelines of a function at the Avinashilingam University for Women.

She laughed away when asked whether the bill had been stalled because the parliament was dominated by men.

On being asked whether she expected a smooth winter session of Parliament, the Speaker said "I am an optimist. A die hard optimist."

She said in Parliamentary democracy these sort of things (disruptions) happened. In democracy, dialogue was the only way, she said.

She pointed out that despite turbulent atmosphere and pandemonium during the last session, the members cooperated in extending the business hours of the house (to compensate for the loss of working hours).