Give enough space to fair sex: Gill

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI, DEC. 22. As drama over the Women's Reservation Bill continued to stall the proceedings in Parliament, the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill, today repeated the suggestion for evolving a broad consensus among all recognised political parties to give adequate space to women in the political process.

Suggesting a simple legal provision, making it mandatory for all the recognised parties to put up a specified percentage of women candidates in the elections to the Parliament and States, Dr. Gill said, if implemented, the Commission's proposal would go a long way in ensuring gender equality and justice.

``Recognition and privileges of a political party shall be retained by it so long as the party in any Parliamentary or State elections puts up certain percentage of women candidates,'' Dr. Gill told The Hindu.

On the possibility of a party putting up women candidates in States where it may not have anything at stake, Dr. Gill said the provision would ensure that the fixed percentage was maintained in each of the States during a parliamentary election.

Terming the proposal an ``organic and sensible solution,'' Dr. Gill said that studies by the Commission had shown that winnability of women candidates was much higher than men. ``It is over 50 per cent. Even if 20 per cent of the women candidates make it to Parliament, there will be about 120 to 130 women members. There will be a sea change in the complexion of Parliament. Today there are just about 8 per cent women members in Parliament.

Opposing rotation of seats and reservation within reservation, the CEC said the flaw in the working of parties was sought to be pushed in through a Constitutional amendment. ``Over the past 50 years we have witnessed 80 to 90 amendments which is not good. Instead, we must give legally-guaranteed political space to women in all recognised political parties,'' he said.

Parties could take a decision quickly and the coming Assembly polls in five States could prove to be a turning point in electoral history.

``The Commission wants to ensure greater presence of women in Parliament and State Legislatures without diminishing the vibrancy of Indian political action and effectiveness of parliamentary institutions,'' he said. The aim was to achieve genuine active participation of women in the political process and their adequate representation in decision-making bodies at all levels.

In its meeting with the recognised national and State political parties on April 29, the Commission had put up its proposal on representation of women in Parliament and State Legislatures for discussion.

The Commission's proposal would also end the controversy on further internal reservation, making it unnecessary. The mechanism of ensuring a minimum percentage of women candidates had worked well in the Northern European countries. ``The suggestion has the merit of not needing a Constitutional amendment and going ahead with a simple amendment in the Representation of the Peoples Act. It is for the political parties to decide the percentage to be fixed,'' Dr. Gill said.

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