Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Jun 22: For the past 16 years, the Women's Reservation Bill has failed to materialize, and on Wednesday June 22, it was no different, with the all-party meeting again ending in a deadlock.
Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar had convened the all-party meeting after a suggestion was made by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the leader of the House, and different party leaders.
The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj, the two major parties opposed to the Bill, chose to skip the meet while other opponents refused to budge from their demands.
Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, who had convened the meeting, said that another meeting will be called before the beginning of the monsoon session on August 1.
She also said that separate discussions will be held with SP and BSP parties and assured that consensus will be achieved sooner than later.
The main demand of the opposing parties, RJD and JD(U) among them, is that the Bill should have a quota for women from backward classes. On Wednesday, the parties continued with their demand and reiterated that they will not compromise on the issue.
There was also a suggestion from Shiv Sena MP Ananth Geete to let parties have the right to giving equal percentage of seats to women, instead of going for Reservation of 33 percent.
Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj, who is in support of the Bill, appealed to the speaker to bring about a consensus without creating a situation of chaos.
The Bill, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha is still to be passed by the Lower House of the Parliament. It is supported by the UPA, the BJP and the Left parties.