Govt plans 50% quota for women as civic body chiefs

Punjab Polity and Governance

Empowering women on the ground, 50 per cent posts of mayor in Municipal Corporations and president in other civic bodies could soon be reserved for the elected women candidates in the recently held civic body polls.
Ahead of electing the mayor or the president, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government is likely to bring amendments to the legislation in the upcoming budget session to implement the reservation for women.
The decision would be a sequel to an earlier decision taken by the Congress government to increase women reservation in urban local bodies from the existing 33 per cent to 50 per cent by amending the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, and the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.
In the recently held civic body polls, women candidates have been elected in nearly 1,100 wards. In Congress alone, 675 women candidates have been elected.
Irrespective of the political affiliation, women mayor or president could be elected unanimously.
A source said the decision to increase the reservation for women was taken soon after the Congress came to power. The decision saw increased participation by women voters in the recently held civic body polls.