The Hindu : National : `Near-consensus' on increasing seats for filling women's quota

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 12, 2005

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National

`Near-consensus' on increasing seats for filling women's quota

Staff Correspondent

"Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe quotas should be incorporated in reservation"

19 political parties agree on more seats
All-India Mahila Congress demands reservation in Upper Houses
"Delimitation process should be time-bound"

Mahila Congress has sought appointment with Manmohan, Sonia

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Wednesday hinted that there was "near-consensus" among political parties on increasing the number of seats in the legislature through the delimitation process to accommodate 33 per cent women.

Speaking at a discussion on "Women's Reservation Bill" organised by the Congress Women Leaders Forum here, Mr. Patil said that of the 20 political parties he had spoken to on the issue, 19 had agreed on creating more seats in the legislature and reserving them for women.

Mr. Patil said his opinion was that the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe quotas — as demanded by some political parties — be incorporated in the reservation and the whole process should be time-bound.

Mr. Patil who has been entrusted with the responsibility of holding consultations on the issue said that there was difference of opinion on all other formulae suggested for the Women's Reservation Bill but almost all agreed on increasing the number of seats.

Resolution

In a resolution passed during the meeting, the All-India Mahila Congress demanded reservation for women in the Upper Houses also. "We want to see the final draft of the Bill before it is tabled in Parliament because anything that dilutes 33 per cent will not be acceptable to us," Mahila Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi said. She added that the delimitation process should be time-bound and the Government should come up with a roadmap.

The Mahila Congress has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to urge them to ensure the early passage of the Bill that has been hanging fire for the past 10 years.

Minister of State for Tourism Renuka Chowdhury criticised the Opposition for stalling the passage of important bills in Parliament.

"The Government does not want to pass bills like the Women's Reservation Bill without the participation of the Opposition," she said.

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