Legislate Women Reservation Bill in on-going winter-session of Parliament

Central government should take initiative to legislate long-pending Women Reservation Bill in on-going winter-session of Parliament without deferring it further in name of never-to-be achieved political consensus. If not all the bills are passed in Parliament through consensus, then there is no logic in denying country’s 50-percent population in form of women their legitimate right for an effective participation in legislature especially when more than 75-percent Parliamentarians belong to parties ‘supporting’ at least publicly the issue. Many political parties cry for reservation on man-made aspects like religion and cast evidently for vote-bank politics, but oppose reservation to women which still remain dominated section of society created by nature in our male-dominated political system.

Even Islamic world including Pakistan and many other democratic countries including fresh democracy in Nepal have adopted Women-Reservation in legislature. In the meanwhile till the Bill becomes a law, Election Commission’s formula to make it compulsory for every political party to give at least 33-percent party-tickets to women may be immediately enforced as an interim measure. However it should be ensured that such distribution may be state-wise rather than on country-basis. Otherwise parties will fulfil formality of women-quota by giving all tickets from reserved quota to women in states with no base of the concerned party. However to prevent wives or other relations or associates being misused as ‘proxy’ of male politicians, there should be a system whereby name or photo of husband or any other relation may not be permitted in election-campaigns of women candidates.