Advani hints at cut in quota in Women's Bill

NEW DELHI, DEC. 5. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, today indicated that the percentage of reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislatures may have to be reduced from 33 to 25 to ensure that it is passed in the current session.

``I will be happy if the Bill is passed by the House in the current session,'' the Home Minister told reporters after a 15- member delegation of women MPs and women's organisations called on him.

A statement issued by the `joint action front for women', said M.r Advani had assured the delegation that the Bill would be brought for discussion in the current session and in order to get it passed, ``we may think of reducing the percentage from 33 to 25''.

He said he did not apprehend any division within the National Democratic Alliance over the Election Commission proposal that political parties themselves should give more representation to women.

The delegation included Mrs. Renuka Choudhary, Ms. Jayaprada and Mrs. Jayanti Natrajan. The women MPs demanded that the Bill be moved next week and not on the last day of the session and said the Government's aim should be to get the Bill passed in the ongoing session as it would help women get one- third of the 1,500 seats in next year's elections in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Pondicherry and Assam.

They said the bill could easily be passed with support from the NDA, Congress and the Left parties.

- UNI

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