Assembly nod for 50 per cent quota for women in local bodies
The Mahrashtra Assembly on Wednesday night passed a bill to increase reservation for women in local bodies from 33 per cent to 50 per cent, after which political parties will reach out to more women as potential leaders.
The Congress and NCP are vying for credits for increasing the reservation. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre said the increase in reservation was the brainchild of Sonia Gandhi and the Union government had approved it about 18 months ago. However, according to Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil, the Maharashtra government, under the chief ministership of Sharad Pawar, in the early 1990s had initiated the womens reservation that was later adopted by the Centre.
We wont face any problem finding female candidates in the required numbers, Thakre said. And we are aware newcomers would have to be trained…we are starting a series of training camps after the ongoing budget session. The first training camp would be in Nashik on April 25.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said that they would not face any problem selecting women candidates as per the new Bill as the internal party resolution had adopted 50 per cent reservation years ago. Incidently, states that have BJP-ruled governments have already introduced this clause. We were also the first political party to amend our party constitution and bring in 50 per cent reservation for women. We do no think there would be any problems in implementing the reservation, said BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.
Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai said women candidates in all local bodies where the party was in power had done well and the party would continue to support women representation in the political arena. Our mayors and women representatives have done excellent work in the councils and corporations they have been elected to. We wholeheartedly support this reservation as women have always participated in large numbers in our party, he said.
Bhandari said political reservation was the beginning of a long process, which may initially be confined to political families but the results will be felt later. There has to be a beginning. Maybe initially it will lead to dynastic politics, but it will gradually move on the other sections of society as well, he said. In a landmark decision, the Assembly on Wednesday cleared the Bill to introduce 50 per cent reservation for women in all gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, zilla parishads, municipal councils and municipal corporations. As per the 73rd Constitution amendment, currently, there is 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies. Four women MLAs spoke while the Bill was being discussed in the House and called for reservation for women in the Legislature and Parliament as well, along with women empowerment. Minister for rural development Jayant Patil, introducing the Bill, said, This will bring equality to women. Before Independence, women participated in large numbers even in Congress conventions. Later they have been confined to homes. Therefore, steps are being taken purposely to empower them.
Initially, in the early 1990s, 30 per cent reservation for women in local bodies was adopted by the Maharashtra government. It was later adopted by the Central government and through an amendment to the Constitution it was increased to 33 per cent. 18 years after the state adopted 30 per cent reservation, this Bill has been introduced to increase women participation, Patil added. The new law will be implemented with immediate effect, once it is cleared by the Legislative Council next week and receives approval of the Governor and the President. It would be made applicable to elections that would be held later this year. Elections for 27 Zilla Parishads, 54 panchayat samitis, 10 municipal corporations and 167 municipal councils are scheduled from September to March next year in the state.
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