Woman Reservation Bill to be tabled in Winter session: UPA, Left

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) The much-awaited Woman Reservation Bill, providing 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures, will be introduced in Lok Sabha during the Winter session.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the UPA-Left alliance at the Prime Minister's residence, AICC General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi told UNI here.

The Bill had been languishing for want of consensus on the issue.

Also confirming the decision, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan told UNI that the possibility had increased with the RJD Chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad giving his assurance that his party would not oppose the Bill at the introduction stage.

The meeting was attented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, CPI (M) leaders Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechiri and CPI leader D Raja, besides other UPA allies.

Mr Bardhan said the Bill, after being introduced, would be referred to the Standing Committee wherein amendments could be made.

The leaders were also of the view that the Sachar Committee report, which dealt with social, economic and educational status of Muslims in the country, be tabled in the House during current session.

The participants also discussed the bills to be introduced and the controversy over bills relating to the financial sector such as Pension Regulatory Fund Bill, Banking Regulation Bill and SBI (Banking) Bill.

UNI YS/KSA VD KP2259