All-party meet on Women's Bill soon: PM

New Delhi, Mar 5 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced that an all-party meet would be called soon to evolve a consensus on the vexed issue of the Women's Reservation Bill whose passage had been stalled for several years.

The assurance came as the Prime Minister was replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on President's address in the Rajya Sabha.

He said, ''The time has come once again to broadbase consensus to bring a Bill on this issue as soon as possible.'' However seeking a categorical assurance, CPI-M leader Brinda Karat persisted with her demand that the government should not delay further and must table the Bill before the next session to allow women to contest in the next elections according to the allotted seats. ''Otherwise your government will be solely responsible,'' she said.

Responding, Dr Singh said that as soon as the House dispersed by March 20, he would ask for an all-party meet to evolve consensus on the Bill assuring 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Not satisfied with his reply, the BJP staged a walkout over the women's Reservation Bill and the Ramsetu issue.

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