The womens reservation bill is likely to be taken up in the Lok Sabha for consideration on August 11 and 12 as per the directions of Speaker PA Sangma.
In a related development, Prime Minister IK Gujral, told the Rajya Sabha yesterday that the United Front government wascommitted to get the bill passed.
I repeat, I stand committed to the bill ... I am in favour of it, Gujral said while intervening in a zero hour submission on the issue by Congress MP Veena Verma.
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The business advisory committee of the Lok Sabha met on Wednesday and decided that the bill be taken up in the last week of the monsoon session, which concludes on August 14.
Union minister for parliamentary affairs Srikanta Jena has given the governments concurrence to the Speakers proposal.
Sangma had promised women MPs, particularly CPIs Geeta Mukherjee, that he would insist that the House consider the bill.
The Janata Dal and the Samta Party have expressed reservations on the bill, as it does not stipulate a quota for the other backward castes (OBCs). The BJP, the left and the Congress have pledged support to the bill.
It remains to be seen whether these parties would rise to the occasion during a debate on the bill and maintain their stands. The BJP has already developed fissures on the issue. OBC MPs in the party might try to put pressure on senior leaders to stop consideration of the bill.
The government had moved the bill for consideration in the last Parliament session. If the Lok Sabha passes the bill, it would be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its consideration, which is unlikely before the winter session.