Akali Dal to support Women's Reservation Bill

New Delhi, Mar 6 (ANI): The Akali Dal today announced its support for the Women's Reservation Bill which is going to be tabled in Parliament on Monday.

The Women's Reservation Bill providing for 33 per cent reservation of seats for women in Lok Sabha and the state assemblies is expected to come up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday (March 8), coinciding with the International Women's Day.

Senior Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral said in a statement that the Akali Dal is a farsighted party and in keeping with that party leader Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal has instructed MPs to vote in the favour of the bill.

With Akali Dal coming out in support of the Women's Reservation Bill, the Congress-led UPA Government has more than requisite numbers required for the passage of the bill.

The Akali Dal has three Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha and four MPs in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier, Akali Dal's partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party, supporting the Women's Reservation Bill on Friday issued a whip to party members to be present in Rajya Sabha on Monday when the house takes the bill up for discussion and passage.

The UPA Government is happily placed in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, where it has the support of 138 members of Congress, BJP and Left parties besides a number of small parties, which takes the backing to more than 165.

The special majority required in the House with an effective strength of 233 is 155. (ANI)