'Consideration', consensus required for women's reservation bill: Govt

The women's reservation bill provides for 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for 15 years

The women's reservation bill requires "careful consideration" on the basis of consensus among all political parties before it is brought to Parliament, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said gender justice is an important commitment of the government.

"The issue involved needs careful consideration on the basis of the consensus among all political parties before a Bill for amendment in the Constitution is brought before Parliament," he said.

The women's reservation bill provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for 15 years.

The 15th Lok Sabha could not pass the bill and the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, which was pending in the lower House since 2010 and lapsed following its dissolution.

According to the law, any bill pending in Lok Sabha lapses with the dissolution of the House. Bills pending in Rajya Sabha are put in the "live register" and remain pending.

The 18-year journey of the women's reservation bill has been marked by high drama and roadblocks in each outing in Parliament before the historic measure cleared the first legislative hurdle in March 2010, when Rajya Sabha passed it during a sitting which saw marshals being used to deal with unruly members.