Sharad Joshi lone dissenter against women's bill

New Delhi: Sharad Joshi, a prominent farmers' leader from Maharashtra, was the lone dissenter against the women's quota bill during voting in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday, saying he didn't oppose the measure but the manner in which it would be implemented.

"Women's reservations yes, yes, yes, yes. Rotation (of constitutions) and (their) selection by lottery no, no, no," Joshi maintained while participating in the more than three-hour debate on the bill.

Thus, when the bill was put to a voice vote, Joshi let the crescendo of "ayes" to subside before quietly saying "No".

In the division, there were 186 votes in favour and only Joshi's against the bill.

The one-third constituencies to be reserved for women during the next three general elections, beginning 2014, will be selected by a lottery.

The constituencies will be rotated at subsequent general elections to ensure that by 2024, all constituencies will have been represented by a woman at some point in time.

The bill also provides for reserving one-third of seats in the state assemblies for three elections held from the time the bill becomes law.