Bring Women's Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha, says Opposition - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Even as the historic Women's Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party now have decided that it will put pressure on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to bring the Bill in the Lok Sabha. Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "Government must bring the Bill in the Lok Sabha before the session ends." Jaitley, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said, "The way the bill was passed in the House amidst tight security was unprecedented." "The ministers who went against the Government with respect to the passing of the bill must tender their resignations," added Jaitley. Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said, "There is going to be a bigger battle in the Lok Sabha." History was created in the Rajya Sabha when it voted by an overwhelming majority a Bill to reserve one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and Assemblies for women after government pushed ahead with it, ignoring possible threats to its stability and after eviction of troublesome MPs opposed to it. 14 years after the first attempt was made in the Lok Sabha and repeated failures subsequently, the Constitution amendment bill was adopted in the mandatory division with 186 members voting for it and one voting against. In the 245-member House with an effective strength of 233, the bill required the backing of at least 155 members and the UPA had the clear support of 165 in the run up to the event. The bill seeks to reserve for women 181 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha and 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in the 28 State Assemblies.