Women’s reservation bill on ‘top’ of Govt agenda: Moily

The long-pending controversial women’s reservation bill is on “top” of Government’s agenda to be made into “reality”,Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Wednesday. “As far as our party and government is concerned we would like to ensure that it comes early… it is top on our agenda. It is for the Business Advisory Committee to decide,” Moily said.

He said this when asked whether the Constitution Amendment Bill could be brought immediately or in the Budget session of Parliament scheduled next month. Noting that the President’s Address to the joint sitting of Parliament tomorrow could have some reference to the issue,Moily’s refrain was that the idea was to make the long pending Bill into a “reality”.

When told that parties like RJD and SP were still opposed to the Bill in its present form,he said,”many discussions,deliberations have gone into this. I think now the idea is that make it into reality,taking the House into confidence.”

Asked whether the Congress-led coalition was taking BJP’s support for granted on the measure to provide for 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies,he merely said,”it is too early to comment on details.”