quota for OBCS Women's Reservation Bill

PMK demands quota

Chennai, June 23: PMK today demanded quota for OBCS and minority communities in the Women's Reservation Bill aiming to earmark 33 percent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and Assemblies, Represented by its president GK Mani and party founder Dr S Ramadoss' daughter-in-law and head of the party's green arm, Pasumai Thayagam, Sowmiya Anbumani Ramadoss, PMK raised the demand before the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, holding a two-day hearing on the matter here.

Chairman of the Committee, E M Sudarsana Nachiappan, told reporters that though PMK had demanded quota, they had, however, not specified whether it would be quota within reservation or outside it. However, the states were wrested with the rights of giving OBC quota, he said.

The RJD and Samajwadi party had raised a similar demand.

Major political parties including the DMK, AIADMK, Congress, BJP, CPI and CPI (M) wanted the bill to be passed in toto, he said adding almost all political parties wanted the bill to be passed in the forthcoming monsoon session of the Parliament.

The Committee would be conducting hearings in Kolkata and Mumbai before submitting the final report by August 5, he said. It had already conducted hearings in Delhi.

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