Consensus eludes House panel over women146;s Bill

Incidentally, in a sign of how divided the committee is, one of its members, Communist Party of India Marxist Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat, has moved a private member8217;s Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Friday seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in the legislature. The Bill is yet to come up for discussion.

It is learnt that leaders of different parties, particularly those who had voiced opposition to the Bill when it was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on the last day of the Budget Session, are unwilling to budge from their stand.

8220;There is not much hope for the Bill as this government will prefer to sacrifice the Bill rather than its power. There are no Ambedkars in this government who will make laws for women,8221; rues Karat.

In fact, sources associated with the committee told The Indian Express that some members have even gone to the extent of suggesting that a report be finalised by including the views of the dissenting members.

Some members of the panel have also suggested that the number of elected representatives in the Lok Sabha and the state legislatures be increased to accommodate women members.

However, this argument, which has also been forwarded by some non-governmental organisations NGOs, is still to be accepted by all members.

There is all likelihood of the panel seeking an extension as it may not be able to finalise its report before the end of its current term, which ends later this month.

In July this year, the committee had suggested that it could be left to the state legislatures to propose adequate representation in the Vidhan Sabhas and the Lok Sabha for Other Backward Class OBC citizens and women.

This formula, the committee had hoped, would have taken care of the concerns of parties like the Samajwadi Party are opposing to the Bill in its current form. However, sources said, unanimity eluded the panel on this count too.

The Women8217;s Reservation Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in May. Further action on it will follow once the committee submits its report.

In its present form, the Bill is the same as the one cleared by a Joint Parliamentary Committee in 1996. Despite four attempts between 1998 and 2003, the Bill could not be cleared. At a meeting of the committee held on Saturday, some members were of the view that it would serve no purpose if a report is finalised without addressing the concerns of parties opposed to the Bill in its existing form.

When contacted, committee chairman EMS Sudarsana Natchiappan said, 8220;The report will be submitted after there is unanimity among the members. Otherwise, it will serve no purpose. I am hopeful we will be able to convince all members. Everybody wants it. The issue is how to do it,8221; said Natchiappan.