Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday that the Women's Reservation Bill should be accorded top priority, and urged political parties to refrain from politicising the pending legislation.
On International Women's Day, Naidu allowed members to speak on issues concerning women. He expressed hope that the government will respect the sentiments of the House and take care of the unfulfilled agendas of women empowerment.
Most of the main political parties (BJP, Congress and Left) with the exception of the socialists and caste-based parties (SP, BSP and RJD) are principally committed to the idea of providing 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
But the opposition within means that the Bill — first introduced in 1996 — is yet to see the light of the day.
Women MPs from Congress, including Ambika Soni, Renuka Chowdhury, Kumari Shailja, Rajni Patil and DMK's K Kanimozhi, urged the House to pass a resolution to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
