Jayalalithaa thanks house for passing women's bills

Chennai: A day after Tamil Nadu State Assembly adopted two Bills enabling 50 per cent reservation to women in all local bodies, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa thanked all the legislators for their support in passing the Bills unanimously.

On Saturday, the minister for municipal administration, rural development, law, courts and prisons S.P. Velumani had tabled the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Amendment), Act 2016 and Tamil Nadu Panchayat (Amendment) Act 2016. They were passed unanimously with voice vote.

The laws relating to urban local bodies and panchayats had so far been offering one-third reservation of the total number of seats and offices for women in the local bodies. The Acts passed unanimously enhanced reservation for women from 33 per cent to 50 per cent to promote women empowerment besides facilitating the participation of women in development.

The Acts would ensure 50 per cent reservation for women in corporations, municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats in the state.

In a statement, Jayalalithaa said it was her strong conviction that cities and rural areas would develop faster if there were more women representatives in local bodies as a result of enhanced reservation for them.

“Therefore, I directed that reservation for women in seats in urban local bodies and village panchayats be increased from one-third to 50 per cent,” she said. “I express my thanks and felicitations to Members of the Legislative Assembly, who supported in passing the Bills”.