Road cleared for 33 per cent reservation of all MP, MLA seats for women
February 26, 2010: The Times of India
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared the Women’s Reservation Bill which has been hanging fire for close to 14 years. And this time, the bill might go through in Parliament as the Congress, BJP and the Left have pledged support to it. The three parties put together add up to the necessary twothirds majority in Lok Sabha for the constitutional amendment, and falls manageably short in Rajya Sabha.
In short, astute floor management by the Congress in the 15th Lok Sabha could see 33% of all seats in Parliament and state assemblies being reserved for women. Such a large representation of women in the legislatures could not only change the emphasis in policies but also alter the very nature of politics in India.
This gender-bender of a move by the Congress leadership has been aided by the absence of parties like Lalu Prasad’s RJD in the UPA and the reduced relevance of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. Both OBC chieftains have relentlessly opposed the bill demanding that one-third of the proposed women’s bill be earmarked for OBCs and minorities.
JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav is another opponent, but BJP, Congress and Left can help carry the day. They can also bank on the DMK which has come around to the argument that the priority is to get the gender quota introduced, while other details can be negotiated later.
If the bill is to become reality, it will require a Constitutional amendment. For that, the bill must get the vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting, but not less than the majority mark of the House. The government — having cleared the bill — is not bound by fresh recommendations or dissent notes made by the standing committee on law and justice which submitted its report in December 2009.
