UPA determined to pass women’s quota bill: Minister
By IANSMonday, April 12, 2010
AGARTALA - The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is determined to pass the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V. Narayanasamy said Monday.
“Another all-party meeting with senior leaders of all parties would be held this week to arrive at a consensus,” Narayanasamy told IANS. The bill seeks to reserve a third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assmblies.
Narayanasamy, a Congress general secretary, was in Tripura to supervise the party’s organisational activities ahead of the May 3 elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC)
The TTAADC is a constitutional autonomous body that facilitates the socio-economic development of tribals.
“An all-party meeting chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was held April 5 to evolve a consensus on the bill. Some parties expressed different views on the bill,” he said.
“The UPA is determined to pass the bill in the current session of the Lok Sabha,” the minister stated.
The Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and a section of the Janata Dal-United are opposed to the bill that was passed amid uproar in the Rajya Sabha March 9.
The Lok Sabha is scheduled to resume its budget session from April 15.
