Politicians to field their kin

 

Parliament has enacted a law increasing reservations for women to 50 per cent, making it mandatory for all rural and urban local body polls. The GHMC polls held in 2009 had only 33.33 per cent reservations for women as it was before the enactment.

 

The Telangana State government has notified that 75 of the 150 divisions are reserved for women. However, division-wise reservations are yet to be announced and may be notified in another two to three days.

 

“We know this norm will be enforced in the GHMC polls, we have to make adjustments accordingly like we did when the women’s quota was 33.33 per cent in earlier polls. Since politics is male dominated, we expect more women family members will be pushed in as candidates by the men,” said BJP Musheerbad legislator Dr K. Laxman.

 

Past experiences have shown that men have continued their dominance in seats reserved for women. Women corporators used to attend the GHMC general body meetings along with their husbands who used to dominate and dictate what type of works should be done in their respective divisions.

 

Besides this, 50 per cent women’s quota in the different categories like SCs, STs and BCs will also pose a problem.

 

“It is difficult to develop women leaders in the existing practice of politics. Except in a few divisions, it can be presumed that the men will continue their dominance by fielding women from their families and run the affairs,” said Greater Hyderabad TD president and MLA Maganti Gopinath. He added that the TD might invite applications from women seeking their party nomination.

 

“If they suit our norms we will definitely put them up as our candidates,” he said.