All party MPs demand Women Reservation Bill

New Delhi, Nov 22: Women parliamentarians belonging to diametrically opposite sides of the political spectrum on Thursday demanded the introduction of the Women Reservation Bill seeking 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament and the State assemblies during the on going winter session. Both the BJP and the Left women leaders joined hands in their demand for the introduction of the Bill.

"All the women members of the Parliament are unanimous on the issue of the Women's Reservation Bill. And our demand is that the bill should be introduced and passed in the current session of the Parliament," said BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.

"Now the government manages to sidetrack the issue on any pretext," she added.

The Bill has been pending since 1996 as political consensus on it has failed to materialise.

"The consensus is explicit, as all the women of the country have come forward to show their unanimous stand. Today, all women parliamentarians have clearly exhibited the common stance," CPI (M) Politburo Member Brinda Karat said.

Presently, the Lok Sabha with an effective strength of 521 has just 46 women lawmakers. ANI>