The All party meeting on the women's reservation Bill remained inconclusive and further consultations will be held on the issue. The RJD , SP and the JDU , the three parties who are opposed to the Bill in the present form stuck to their stand on quota within quota for OBCs and minorities. The Left parties who have suupported the Bill that provides for 33 per cent reservation in Lok Sabha and the state assemblies , said they were against deferment of the Bill unless it was to build consensus on the issue. The BJP said that it is opposed to quota within quota but is willing to support if the Election Commission's proposed formula on making it mandatory for the parties to give quota to women while allocating tickets for elections. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal said that more consultations will be held. The meeting convened by the Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee was attended by representatives of almost all parties .<br/>The BSP also said that it is opposed to the bill in the present form and was in favour of quota within quota.<br/>The Women's Reservation bill was passed in Rajya Sabha by an overwhelming majority but could not be introduced in Lok Sabha due to stiff opposition by the members of the RJD, SP and JD(U). After that the government decided to hold consultations with all concerned to evolve consensus.<br/>Meanwhile, the Congress today said that the government is committed for the Women's Reservation Bills, providing 33 per cent reservation to the women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, the party spokesman Mr Abhishek Manusinghvi said that the party is trying for a consensus by taking everyone on board on the issue. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that most of the parties stuck to their stand at the meeting which was convened by the government to break the dead lock over the issue. The Women's Reservation bill was passed in Rajya Sabha by an overwhelming majority but could not be introduced in Lok Sabha due to stiff opposition by the members of the RJD, SP and JD(U). <br/><br/>With RJD, SP and JDU sticking to their guns on the issue, there was no meeting ground at today's discussions and as expected no headway could be made on women's reservation bill . The RJD leader Mr. Lalu Prasad said that there was no question of going back on their demand for quota within quota for OBCs and minorities .<br/>Dara Singh of the BSP also joint forces with Lalu to say that his party will not support the Bill in its present form.<br/>The CPI leader Gurudas das Gupta said that the left parties were against any deferment of the Bill unless it was to build consensus .<br/> BJP senior leader Susma Swaraj said that her party was against quota within quota but is willing to support the Election Commission's formula on making it mandatory for the parties to give quota to women while allocating election tickets BYTE – Susma Swaraj<br/>UPA ally, Trinamool Congress leader Ms. Mamata Banerjee wanted the interest of minorities to be taken care of.<br/> With the consensus eluding and no guarantee that further consultations will bring all parties on board on the issue, there is question mark on whether the parliament will be able to pass the bill in the second half of the Budget session.<br/>
News On AIR | April 5, 2010 7:26 PM
‘Consensus eludes all party meeting on Women's Reservation Bill