Congress President Sonia Gandhi has written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for urgently passing long-pending Women’s Reservation Bill. Sonia is answerable why the bill was not legislated during UPA regime when law-makers related to political parties publicly supporting the bill are much-more than required two-third majority in Parliament. Many political parties cry for reservation on man-made aspects like religion and cast evidently for vote-bank politics, but oppose reservation to women which still remain dominated section of society created by nature in our male-dominated political system.
Even Islamic world including Pakistan and most other democratic countries have adopted Women’s reservation in legislature. Till the Bill becomes a law, Election-Commission formula to make it compulsory for every political party to give at least 33-percent party-tickets to women should be immediately enforced as an interim measure. However it should be ensured that such distribution may be state-wise rather than on country-basis. Otherwise parties will fulfil formality of women-quota by giving all tickets from reserved quota to women in states with no base of the concerned party. However to prevent wives or other relations/associates being misused as proxy of male politicians, there should be a system whereby name or photo of husband or any other relation may not be permitted in election-campaigns of women candidates. With women-quota in panchayats and local bodies increased to 50-percent from earlier 33-percent, it is meaningless to resist 33-percent reservation to women in legislature. There should be uniform 33-perecent reservation for women at all stages from civic bodies to Parliament.
Madhu Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
