The Hindu : Govt. keen on consensus for modified women's quota bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

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National

Govt. keen on consensus for modified women's quota bill

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI FEB. 25. The Government may be getting ready to dump the Women's Reservation Bill in its present form, although it seems keen on getting a modified Bill passed in the form of an amendment to the Representation of the People Act which it hopes will serve the purpose of dramatically increasing the presence of women in Parliament and the State Assemblies.

The two "obstacles" in the way of a political consensus on the Bill — one, the issue of a quota for the backward caste women within the overall quota for women; and two, the issue of rotation of reserved seats — could be overcome if parties decided to adopt as a law the earlier suggestion of the Election Commission, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, told reporters today.

The EC suggestion was that it should be made mandatory for political parties to nominate 33 per cent women candidates in all parliamentary and Assembly elections "with each State as a unit". And this "idea" was mooted by Ms. Swaraj at a dinner for all women MPs hosted by her on Monday evening which was attended by, among others, the Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Najma Heptulla.

Ms. Swaraj had indicated earlier that the Prime Minister had agreed to call an all-party meeting of leaders on March 3 to discuss this issue afresh in search of a consensus. "The issue has been lying in cold storage. While we want to discuss the issue afresh on the basis of the Bill as it exists (it has been introduced in the Lok Sabha), all parties can start discussions within to evolve a consensus," she said. "The entire matter has got bogged down; let us try to move forward," she said.

She denied that the BJP was trying to dilute the whole issue. She insisted that even those parties which had vehemently opposed the Bill may be ready to agree to the EC's proposal. While the EC suggestion would not ensure 33 per cent presence of women in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies because victory of these candidates cannot be assured, it would certainly force the leadership of parties to nominate women candidates and bring many more women into the political arena.

Her view was that in fact it could have the effect of taking the strength of women in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies to above 33 per cent.

With a State as a unit, it would mean that in Tamil Nadu, for example, both the main parties, the AIADMK and the DMK, would have to give 33 per cent of the ticket to women candidates. In Delhi (where currently all seven MPs are from the BJP), it would mean that both the Congress and the BJP would have to nominate at least two women candidates each.

Although Ms. Swaraj did not say this, it seemed as if she wanted to make a significant contribution during her tenure as Parliamentary Affairs Minister by evolving a consensus on one of the most contentious bills.

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