M A I N   N E W S

No consensus on Women's Bill yet again
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 16
The hopes of arriving at a consensus on women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies dashed yet again today at an all-party meeting convened here by the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Manohar Joshi.

Though there were sharp differences among various parties on the issue, the Speaker was optimistic of evolving a consensus on the Women’s Reservation Bill, in its present or diluted form, before the Monsoon Session beginning mid-July. "We have come closer, even though unanimity has not come at today’s meeting. I am happy that most political parties are open to the issue of women’s reservation," Mr Joshi told newspersons after the meeting that went on for over three hours.

Mr Joshi said he would have another round of talks with leaders of major parties and might even hold consultations with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in efforts to evolve a consensus on the issue before the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The Speaker said several parties had expressed reservations on the rotation system saying that it would ignore interests of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs. They also demanded reservation for minorities.