The Hindu : New Delhi News : Some allies stalling Women’s Bill: Alva

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Thursday, Dec 20, 2007
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Some allies stalling Women’s Bill: Alva

Special Correspondent

One option is reducing percentage to 20 in Parliament and 25 in Assemblies
Some understanding should be reached now to introduce Bill in budget session: Brinda

NEW DELHI: Blaming some UPA coalition partners for stalling the Women’s Reservation Bill, senior Congress leader Margaret Alva on Wednesday called for a “flexible approach” to arrive at consensus. One option was reducing the percentage of reservation to 20 in Parliament and 25 in the State Assemblies while the gap could be filled from the general quota — on which all parties had more or less agreed — or introducing 33 per cent reservation only in the Assemblies now and subsequently in Parliament. Introducing reservation in the Assemblies would be easier, Ms. Alva said speaking at an interactive meeting organised by the National Commission for Women here.

Clarifying that these were personal opinions and not of her party or government suggestions, she said that in the present coalition set-up, consensus on 33 per cent reservation appeared unlikely. At least two-thirds of the political leaders, including Cabinet Ministers, would not allow the Cabinet to clear the Bill for being tabled in Parliament. “The Prime Minister and the Congress president are holding extensive discussions with leaders of the political parties but consensus seems elusive.”

After the political parties, opposing the Bill in the original form, accepted the proposal for reducing the percentage, she made this suggestion to women’s groups, Ms. Alva said.

“I think we have to be more flexible and see what works in the existing system.”

Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said, “We need to come to some understanding now to be able to introduce the Bill in the budget session.”

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