New Delhi: Government today expressed confidence that the Women's Reservation Bill would be passed in the Monsoon Session of Parliament after differences over it are ironed out.

"We are confident we will get it passed in the next session," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told reporters at the conclusion of the three-month-long Budget session.

Admitting that there were differences within the ruling alliance, he said their views would be taken into account by the time the Bill reaches the final stage. "We always go by the consensus," Ravi said, adding that the Bill has been referred to the Standing Committee whose report would go to the Union Cabinet.

Ravi admitted that RJD supremo Lalu Prasad had expressed serious reservations on the Bill at the meeting of the Union Cabinet last night, which cleared introduction of the measure.

To a question why the Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha unlike in the past when such important measures were always introduced in the Lok Sabha, he said a bill introduced in the Upper House would not lapse.

Referring to attempts to block the introduction of the bill physically by SP members, he said the "physical resistance is quite unfortunate and is not expected of colleagues in the Rajya Sabha. We can differ, we can object but physical resistance is quite unfortunate".

The Budget session, which began on February 25, lost precious 20 per cent time in the Lok Sabha and 18.5 per cent in the Rajya Sabha due to disruptions, he said.
Source : PTI