New Delhi, July 15: In a fresh bid to break the impasse on Women`s Reservation Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament, Speaker Manohar Joshi convened a meeting of four major parties here today. After long deliberations the four parties - Congress, BJP, Samajwadi Party and CPM- have arrived on a consensus on giving their consent to the Women`s Bill if the total number of seats in Parliament are increased.
The Women’s Reservation Bill is one of the most debated and controversial bills that has been slated for discussion in nearly each session for the past several years.
However, it has been meeting stiff resistance each time due to various reasons. Most parties are against giving consent to the bill in the present form. They have been pressing for reservation for backward castes and minorities within the allotted seats reserved for women. Other’s feel the percentage of reservation should be brought down.
Women’s Reservation Bill seeks to reserve 33% of the total seats for women candidates. It would be taken up again this session that begins here from July 21.
Bureau Report