The Assam government plans to increase the reservation for women in local bodies to 50 per cent from the present 33 per cent.
Reports say the state government is considering increased seat reservations for women in local bodies such as the panchayat and local municipal bodies.
“It will be better functioning in public life, if women would be given more power and so the state government is looking to increase the reservation seats for women in local bodies,” Assam Panchayat and Rural minister Rockybul Hussain said .
The minister hinted that the new reservation system would likely to be introduced in next panchayat polls in the state in 2013.
In the most recent panchayat polls in Assam in 2007-2008, women candidates won 38.2 per cent of the seats in Gram Panchayats, 36.8 per cent in Anchalik Panchayats and 34.6 per cent in Zilla Parishads.
