New Delhi: Government today said it would
push ahead with the crucial bill providing 33 per cent
reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures and
also a legislation for preventing communal violence.
In her address to a joint sitting of both the Houses of
Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session, President
Pratibha Patil said the government was committed to ensuring
early passage of Women`s Reservation Bill providing for 33 per
cent quota for women in Parliament and state legislatures,
which has been pending in the Rajya Sabha.
"My government is committed to ensuring early passage of
the Women`s Reservation Bill which was introduced in Rajya
Sabha in May 2008. I would urge you to accord special
attention to this critical proposal," she said.
Another bill, which is high on the agenda of the
government would be to prevent communal violence, she said.
The President said, "Our unity and social harmony is the
best answer to the terrorists and their divisive designs.
"Hence, the government is committed deeply to protecting
our social fabric and to that end, it proposes to move for the
early passage of the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control
and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005, in this session of
Parliament".
Patil said, "two bills for Constitutional amendment to
provide 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and
urban local bodies have already been introduced and it is
hoped that these can be passed during this session".
-PTI
