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Women’s quota Bill in cold storage |
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The Winter session of Parliament ended on Tuesday, Dec. 19, without the Government introducing the Women’s Reservation Bill on account of sharp differences within the ruling UPA on the issue. Cutting across party lines, women MPs disrupted the functioning of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, during the pre-lunch sitting on Dec. 19, demanding information on the fate of the long-pending Bill. The House had to be adjourned twice because of their protests.
At the beginning of the Winter Session, the Government, following a meeting of the UPA constituents and Left partners, had announced that it was going to introduce the Constitution Amendment Bill in its original form seeking to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies in the session. The Bill was to be subsequently referred to a parliamentary committee for examination.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said on Dec. 19 that the Government now plans to bring the Women’s Bill during the Budget session starting in February 2007. He said the Government would complete consultations on the Bill during the inter-session period.
Sonia Gandhi disappointed
Congress president Sonia Gandhi reportedly told partners of the United Progressive Alliance that she was disappointed that the Women’s Reservation Bill could not be tabled in Parliament yet again. She is said to have shared her anguish at a dinner she hosted for the UPA partners on Dec. 21.
OBC quota Bill cleared
Though Parliament could not take up the Women’s Reservation Bill, it gave its nod to the much debated legislation granting 27 per cent reservation to the OBCs in centrally aided educational institutions. On Monday, Dec. 18, the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill by a voice vote after defeating an amendment moved by the opposition BJP by 67 votes.
Replying to the debate, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh promised to bring another reservation bill in the near future to cover the unaided institutions.
Parliament also passed the Scheduled Tribes and Forest Dwellers Bill that acknowledges the rights of forest dwellers.
A Bill to check corruption in the Judiciary, the Judges Inquiry Bill, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the Winter session, that is Dec. 19. It envisages the establishment of a National Judicial Council to probe complaints against judges.
Effort to bring around Left on Pension Bill fails
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh used a dinner hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Dec. 21 to talk to the Left parties on the stalled Pension Bill. Dr. Singh reportedly raised the issue with top Left leaders including Prakash Karat, A.B. Bardhan and Abani Roy. But a senior Left leader torpedoed the proposal saying that parties like the CPI and the RSP do not want the government to go ahead with its proposal to invest pension funds in private companies.
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