CPM for original Women's Bill

Maintaining that consensus would continue to elude the Women's Reservation Bill, the CPI-M today insisted that the UPA Government should introduce the Bill in its original form "" earmarking 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures "" in the winter session of Parliament itself.

CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told a Press meet here that efforts seeking to forge a consensus would only delay the process and it (consensus) won't come. "The Bill is being sabotaged again and again in the name of consensus," he said.

He said the UPA Government should exhibit political will and boldly bring forward the original bill which was first introduced in 1996.

According to him, if the Bill is brought forward in its original form, it would muster two-third of the majority "" even three-fourth "" in Parliament.

Karat criticised the BJP for suggesting implementation of an Election Commission proposal of earmarking 33 per cent tickets for women to contest polls, saying such a proposal would not serve the purpose and political parties would not give women "best (winning) seats".