21.2.16

Somewhere in Tamil Nadu....

Focusing on women empowerment on the eve of assembly elections, the Tamil Nadu assembly on Saturday passed two bills that guarantee 50% reservation for women in all local bodies in the state.
The bills were introduced to make necessary amendments to Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 and various City Municipal Corporation Acts to increase reservation for women from the current 33%. The state is slated to have local body polls in October this year. Tamil Nadu, which has a relatively high sex ratio of 995 women for 1,000 men, is the 17th state to legislate 50% representation for women in local bodies. Some states have provided 50% reservation for women in rural local bodies, but not in urban bodies like municipalities and corporations. The Centre is considering an amendment to the Panchayati Raj Act to introduce 50% reservation for women in all local bodies across the country .
Rural development minister S P Velumani moved the bill in the assembly , and it was passed in no time. It now awaits the governor's assent to become an Act and operational.

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