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New Delhi, Aug 29(ANI): Senior women political leaders on Saturday criticised the ruling Congress party for not keeping its promise on passing Women’s Reservation Bill in the first 100 days after coming to power.

Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau Member of Communist Party Of India (Marxist), said it’s very important to have the Constitution amended for increased representation of women in Parliament.

“The 100 days of the government is over as far as Women’s Bill is concerned that is one of the very crucial assurances given in the President’s address and there has been absolutely not even one inch forward on that extremely important issue,” Brinda Karat said after attending a seminar on Women Reservation Bill held in the national capital.

“The 100 days of the Government is over as far as Women’s Bill is concerned that is one of the assurances given in the President’s address and there has been absolutely not even an inch forward on that extremely important issue,” Karat added.

Women leaders across the country have been lobbying intensely for the bill, which seeks to reserve 33 percent of seats for them in the lower House of Parliament and State legislatures.

Najma Heptullah, senior leader of Bharaitya Janata Party, was among many women members of Parliament who hoped that the long-pending Women’s Reservation Bill would soon be passed in Parliament and criticised the government for falling short in keeping its promise.

“He (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) didn’t achieve any marks as far as women are concerned. Because he made a promise, made a commitment on his own, voluntarily, to bring this legislation within 100 days but he didn’t,” said Najma Heptullah.

The Bill is being opposed by various male MPs of various parties while some want modification in it.

The Government had said that it would garner consensus across political parties on the issue and see it was passed as a Bill in its first 100 days after coming to power, thereby reserving one-third of the total available seats for women in national, state, or local governments.

Meanwhile, Congress Party leader Sandeep Dixit, said that100 days was the time to announce the Government’s promises and policies and now its time to act on those promise.

“I believe in its current form the Bill may have some difficulties in passing. If we modified the Bill and also bring in the issue of increasing the number of seats in legislature and in national Parliament, I think it will allay a lot of fears and then will see smooth passing of the bill,” Dixit.

The Bill was first introduced in 1996 and several times thereafter, but could not be passed due to lack of consensus among political parties.

Dixit further said it would take another one-and-half years before the long-awaited Women Reservation Bill can see the light of the day.

Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament has been pending since 1999 as pro-backward parties have been demanding ‘a quota within quota’ for women belonging to backward, minority and scheduled castes. The bill is pending due to opposition by several parties. (ANI)