India’s women’s reservation bill stuck in committee?
Parliamentary Standing Committee to which the Womens Reservation Bill was referred in May last year, got its third extension till the end of the next session of the Indian Parliament.
Highlights of the Bill (http://www.prsindia.org/index.php?name=Sections&id=6#)
Women’s Reservation Bill or The Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008 seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. The allocation of reserved seats shall be determined by such authority as prescribed by Parliament.
One third of the total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall be reserved for women of those groups in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies
Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.
Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this Amendment Act.
The passage of the Bill involves certain technicalities as it is a Constitution amendment Bill.
Besides the requirement of Parliament passing the Constitutional amendment Bill with two-third majority, the measure would have to go to state legislatures as at least 50% of the state legislatures are needed to ratify it.
In Sri Lanka we are taking different approach to demand a quota in nominations and also focusing on elections reform in general.
