Women's panels to seek quota bill

The National Commission for Women and its counterparts in the states on Wednesday said they will meet the Prime Minister and the leaders of opposition in both the houses of Parliament to press for 33 per cent quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

At the end of two-day inter state dialogue, representatives of women commissions passed a resolution to campaign for a constitution amendment.

“Some of the opponents to the bill say that they would consume poison if it is passed. We should make available poison in the from of this bill,” said eminent scholar Pam Rajput while moving the resolution.

Women representatives of both national and state commissions said that parliamentarians ignore the problems of the fifty per cent of the population and, it is now essential that women should have political representation.

Members also declared their intention of capacity building among women for effective electoral participation. They said that women voters should be made aware of their electoral rights and they should be asked to exercise their rights to elect the right people who will work for the society in general, and for women in particular. All the representatives termed the Delhi gang-rape incident as the turning point in the consciousness for women problems.

“The awakening of youth towards gender injustice should lead to some positive results. We should do our best to give something better to our next generation,” they said.