New Delhi, May 5
At a late night meeting here today the Union Cabinet cleared the women’s reservation Bill that is aimed at providing 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament and state legislatures.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Cabinet convened at the residence of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight. The meeting had a single point agenda to discuss the Bill.
The Bill is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. The emergency action on the Bill was necessitated after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die and the Bill would have lapsed. The Rajya Sabha has its session and the Bill would now be tabled in the upper House. The Bill is expected to be debated with the amendments or the modifications suggested by the MPs.
Minutes after the meeting ended, an official spokesperson told reporters: “Whatever decision was taken today would be conveyed to the Rajya Sabha tomorrow.”
The proposed Bill was on the agenda of the Cabinet tonight, the spokesperson said but refused to give details stating that the Rajya Sabha had the first right to know about the decision.
A few days ago the Manmohan Singh had disclosed that his government would table the Bill in the current session. He had given this assurance to CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan when the Left leader called on him with a party delegation.
The Bill had become controversial after some parties sought quota-in-qouta for women from backward and minority communities. Prime among those seeking a quota within the quota were the RJD headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav and Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav.
This morning activists of the left-affiliated women organisations held a demonstration in front of Parliament. They passed a resolution seeking expeditious passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), the women’s wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) spearheaded the demonstration in front of Parliament. Activists belonging to the National Front of Indian Women (NFIW), the women’s wing of the Communist Party of India and representatives of Young Women's Christian Association, Guild of Service and Joint Women’s Programme, joined the demonstration.
Pressure from the Left had mounted after CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said “by not introducing the Women’s Reservation Bill, the UPA government is not keeping the promise made in its common minimum programme (CMP).”
