No headway in women's reservation bill

While the 14th Lok Sabha has just concluded its last session, the parliamentary standing committee examining the women's reservation bill has now got one more extension to complete its task.

The committee headed by senior Congress Member of Parliament E M Sudarshana Natchiappan has been given the latest extension till the constitution of the 15th Lok Sabha after the general elections.

 The Constitution amendment bill seeking to provide 33 per cent quota to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies has been hanging fire for over a decade due to lack of unanimity.

Natchiappan said that the tenure of the committee was also coming to an end and it would be reconstituted by the new Lok Sabha.

"We have prepared a list of whatever work we have done with regard to collection of evidences and given it to the chairman," he said, adding the new committee has to carry forward the task.

Natchiappan said that there were only two options before the committee -- whether to pass the bill as it is or increase the number of seats by one-third.