India: Lok Sabha may take up women’s quota bill on March 15

After its passage by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the Bill on 33 per cent reservation for women, is likely to be taken up by the Lower House, Lok sabha on March 15.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily was confident that the Bill would have a smooth sailing in the Lower House of Parliament too. The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday with an overwhelming majority, with 191 voting in favour and only one against among those present in the House.

Mr. Moily said the Government has some other agenda like the Finance bill and some legislations to replace ordinances that are needed to be taken up urgently.

Asked whether there was any plan to revoke suspension of the seven Rajya Sabha members considering demands for the same, the Law Minister evaded a direct reply and said, “The Congress and UPA Government are not interested in keeping out members of either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. That is not our legacy. Our legacy is to involve everybody.”

Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Wednesday indicated that the government could bring a motion to revoke suspension of seven Rajya Sabha members if they expressed regret over their behaviour to Chairman Hamid Ansari. "It (the suspension) was a well-considered action as they (the members) had insulted dignity of the house. The minimum thing is to go the chairman," Bansal told reporters here. He said the members should at least realize their mistake.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left on Wednesday supported demand of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for withdrawing suspension of the seven members. The MPs had to be forcibly removed from the House before the debate on the women's reservation bill.

Meanwhile, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav mellowed down after bitter comments on the bill and indicated the are not planning to move a no-confidence motion against the government or adopt a confrontation path. Their verbal threat of withdrawing support to the ruling government was also not followed up.

- Asian Tribune -