Question 5:
Read the following conversation. Write in two hundred words your opinion about the issues raised in this conversation.
Alok: Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women. Reservations in local bodies for women ensure their equal share in power.
Neha: But it is not enough that women should be in positions of power. It is necessary that the budget of local bodies should have separate provision for women.
Jayesh: I don’t like this reservations business. A local body must take care of all people in the village and that would automatically take care of women and their interests.
Answers
ANSWER :
The Constitution declares all the citizens of India to be equal in the eyes of law. Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women. Article 15 provides that the state shall not discriminate against any Citizen on Grounds of religion, race ,gender ,etc. Before 73rd and 74th amendments, seats were not reserved for women in the local bodies. Under the 73rd and 74th amendments one third seats are reserved for women in the local bodies. These reservation apply not merely to ordinary members in Panchayats but also to the position of chairperson at all the three levels. No doubt reservation for women in the local bodies is against the Right to Equality. In fact reservation for women was needed for the development of the nation. Before reservation women participation in local bodies was very nominal. At present there are more than 32 lakhs members elected to the local bodies (Rural and Urban). Of these at least 10 lakhs are women and it is all due to the reservation. But due to lack of reservation in the State Assemblies and Parliament number of women is less than 5000. Women participation in the local bodies has changed the working of local bodies. At present there are more than 80,000 women Sarpanches in village Panchayats, more than 2000 women presidents of Panchayat Samities and about 200 women presidents of Zilla Parishad. Due to reservation ,women have gained confidence and they are understanding the working on local bodies in a better way. In this way, women are getting training in politics and art of administration. Behaviour of men in the local bodies has also changed due to the presence of large number of women. That is why there is a demand of one third reservation of seats for women in the State Assemblies and Parliament.
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