The Hindu 10.03.2011
50% quota for women in local bodies in Maharashtra
In a move that would increase women’s representation in politics, the
Maharashtra Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to increase women’s
reservation in local body polls from 33 to 50 per cent.
The decision comes a day after Chief Minister Prithviraj
Chavan said a bill proposing 50 per cent women’s quota in local bodies
would be introduced in the coming budget session of the legislature on
March 14.
Between November 2011 and February 2012, 27 zilla
parishads, 14 corporations, including the high profile Brihanmumbai
Municipal Corporation, and over 500 local bodies are going to the polls.
The Nationalist Congress Party, which had earlier called for increasing the quota to 50 per cent, welcomed the decision.