Opposition parties want to bring the women’s reservation bill back on the parliamentary agenda in the winter session that starts on Wednesday, arguing in a meeting that the draft legislation enjoys bipartisan support.
At the Tuesday meeting of the Lok Sabha’s business advisory committee, a Speaker-led panel that decides weekly agenda of the Lok Sabha, lawmakers such as Sudip Bandopadhyay of Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s TR Baalu pitched for the women’s reservation bill that promises 33% reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
Bandopadhyay argued that the bill, last brought and cleared in the Rajya Sabha in 2010, enjoys the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal (United). Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi enquired if the Rashtriya Janata Dal, too, is ready to support the bill.
The women’s reservation bill was cleared by the Upper House in 2010 amid a ruckus but the United Progressive Alliance government didn’t push it in the other House as its supporting parties such as RJD and SP toughened their stand, demanding a quota for SC and STs within the quota.
While the legislation continues to face an uncertain future, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that in this session he will ensure a calling attention motion every week. This motion allows any MP to get a minister’s reply on an issue in the floor of the House in a mini debate. In the past few sessions, the calling attention notices were rarely accepted.
{{/usCountry}}While the legislation continues to face an uncertain future, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that in this session he will ensure a calling attention motion every week. This motion allows any MP to get a minister’s reply on an issue in the floor of the House in a mini debate. In the past few sessions, the calling attention notices were rarely accepted.
{{/usCountry}}The opposition welcomed the move and argued that ministers can’t avoid their accountability in Parliament citing other engagements. “Birla appealed the leaders for their cooperation in smooth conduct of the House. The leaders assured the Speaker that they will extend their cooperation and support in smooth conduct of Lok Sabha,” the House secretariat said in a statement.
The government, however, provided no hint on the women’s reservation bill—a legislation that hasn’t been included among the 16 bills it plans to table. It indicated that a debate on river erosion might take place.
The Lower House is likely to start its legislative business with the bills to amend the Scheduled Tribe order in different states. The bills relates to inclusion or exclusion of tribes under the Union list of STs.