Parties divided, LS nod to women’s bill uncertain
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The government feels that the consideration and passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill is no child’s play.
This is because division in the ruling UPA, the Opposition NDA and the parties backing the Centre from outside over the bill.
The government has listed the Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill , 2010, popularly known as the Women’s Reservation Bill for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha during the current session of Parliament. The bill has already passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010.
Asked will the bill be taken up for consideration and passing in the Lower House on March 8, parliamentary sources gave conflicting signals.
They said it is a Constitution Amendment Bill and thus cannot be passed in voice vote. Moreover, the BJP has made it clear that it can support the bill only if there is a order in the House.
The Samajwadi Party, the Janata Dal (United), the RJD, the Trinamul Congress and the NCP have been opposing the current draft of the bill. Some of them wanted reservation for OBC women in the bill.
The government has listed the bill saying that it is committed to 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the state Legislative Assemblies.
But a section of the UPA has told the Congress leadership that this issue could be resolved only if the provision of 33 per cent could be brought down to either 15 or 20 per cent. But the Congress does not want to dilute the bill.
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