Conflicting signals on women's bill, may get delayed

Business advisory committee will to fix a date on Friday

PTI | March 10, 2010


File photo of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the driving force behind the women`s quota bill, with son Rahul Gandhi
File photo of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the driving force behind the women`s quota bill, with son Rahul Gandhi

The Women's Reservation Bill, which has been passed by Rajya Sabha, may get delayed as finance bill is likely to be the priority of the government.

There seems to be a churning with growing signs of unease among the BJP's MPs who think the party played into the hands of the Congress by extending "unequivocal" support. They think it helped the Congress to take credit of passing the bill and divert attention from price rise and other issues.

On the other  hand, fear of not getting enough on its side to pass the finance bill is worrying the Congress. Earlier it said the bill would be tabled in Lok Sabha on March 15 or 16 after the business advisory committee takes up the issue in its Friday meeting. But that may not happen now and may get delayed into the second part of the budget session that would begin after a month-long recess.

"The BAC is meeting on Friday. It will have to decide the date," Law Minister M Veerappa Moily told reporters when asked when the Constitution (108th Amendment) bill would be tabled in the lower house.

Replying to questions, Moily said the bill could be tabled on March 15 or March 16.

He expressed confidence that the bill that provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies would have a smooth sailing in the lower house of parliament too.

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