 | | Women workers at a construction site on the eve of the International Women's Day (Mar 8). The Women's Reservation Bill that ensures 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislative bodies was finally passed in the Rajya Sabha (Mar 9) after a slew of opposition by various parties who objected or walked out of the House in protest. The Bill was pushed by the government in spite of the threat of withdrawal of support by the Samajwadi Party and the RJD, by a two third majority. The Bill will ensure women of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other Backward Classes, or poor women and Muslim women will benefit from it. Some MPs stated that the Bill was a tribute to Indian women who proved to be better financial managers of the household than all the finance ministers of India. | | Report dated 10 Mar, 2010 | |
