Scramble for ethereal women's seats

We have so far commented on the government's arbitrary decision to raise the number of parliament seats from 300 to 450. Nobody contests the necessity for expanding the parliament's strength. In the context of the population growth as reflected on the changed demography of the 300 constituencies we have had since independence, an increase in the size of the parliament has not only become imperative but highly desirable, too. But what we are opposed to is the arbitrary and the unilateral manner in which the ruling party has set about doing it, knowing fully well that other political parties have stakes in it. The question of fresh delimitation of constituencies does not only involve the interest of the political parties but also that of the electorate at large.

But here we are particularly concerned with the news of lobbying for women's seats which creates an impression of the government going ahead with its plan since the 30 approved seats for them have remained vacant without a constitutional ratification of the relevant provision.

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But the government must not take any precipitate action. The big question of women's representation hangs fire. They constitute 50 per cent of the population, so that one-fifth of the seats is hardly a proper representation for them. Furthermore, there has been a strong demand for direct election of women to the parliament by women's activists groups and civil society leaders. The government must consult them as they earnestly initiate a dialogue with the political parties to forge a national consensus on this issue. They cannot act unilaterally.