Government says, the Women’s Reservation Bill may be tabled in the Lok Sabha next week, but it may come up for actual consideration in the second part of the budget session.
Law Minister Veerappa Moily told reporters that a final to this effect will be taken by the Business Advisory Committee which meets on Friday. Mr Moily said, the bill could be tabled on 15th or 16th of this month.
Talking on similar lines, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.K. Bansal indicated that though the Bill may be tabled around 16th of this month, it may come for actual consideration after the finance bill is passed in the second half of the budget session.
Mr Moily said, the government has some other agenda like the Finance bill and some legislations to replace ordinances that are needed to be taken up urgently. He expressed confidence that the bill that provides for 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies will have a smooth sailing in the Lower House of Parliament too. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday with overwhelming majority.
Meanwhile, the issue of Women’s Reservation Bill continuously rocked both Houses of Parliament for third day on Wednesday. In the Lok Sabha, the RJD, LJP, JDU and SP members demanded revocation of the suspension of the seven members from the Upper House. After repeated adjournments on the issue, the Speaker Mrs Meira Kumar adjourned the House for the day.
In the Rajya Sabha, RJD and SP members staged a walkout making a similar demand.
Leader of Opposition in the House Arun Jaitley and senior CPIM leader Sitaram Yechury supported their demand of revoking the suspension orders. However, some members from treasury benches insisted that the suspended members should tender an apology.
In a significant move, UPA allies SP and RJD showed no no signs of withdrawing support to the government. They also made it clear that there are no plans to table any no-confidence motion.
In a related development, Trinamool Congress leader Ms Mamta Banerjee met the UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, a day after her party MPs abstained from voting on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Ms. Banerjee later said that she raised concern regarding minorities and also the way the bill was taken up in Rajya Sabha.
Describing the bill as a fulfillment of Congress’s commitment towards empowerment of women, party spokesman Manish Tiwari thanked all opposition parties which supported the Bill.
BJP, on the other hand, demanded introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha in the current session. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Party Leader Gopi Nath Munde said that his party will urge the Lok Sabha Speaker not to use marshals in the House.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar admitted that sharp differences prevailed in the JD(U), but ruled out any crisis or split in the party. Talking to reporters in Patna, he said, Bihar is the first state which under the rule of NDA provided 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayati raj institutions and urban bodies.
He said, with the experience of women running Panchayati raj institutions and urban bodies effectively, he will never shy away from supporting a similar move by the Centre.
Asserting that he is not averse to ensure reservation for OBCs and other weaker sections of the society in the women’s reservation bill, Mr Kumar said, this issue can be handled later after the adoption of the bill in the Lok Sabha.
On JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav’s reservation about the bill, the Chief Minister said, he has explained his position on the issue.
Tags: loksabha, Moily, Women's Reservation Bill
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