Cong MLA moves resolution on women’s bill, rejected with voice vote in Assam Assembly

Guwahati, Sep 12 (PTI) The Assam Assembly on Tuesday rejected a private member’s resolution, which sought to urge the Parliament to adopt the women’s reservation bill, as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma contended that the matter was beyond the purview of the state legislature.

Congress MLA Sibamoni Bora moved the resolution for the the bill that promises 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

She maintained that though reservation for women has been ensured in panchayats and urban bodies, “true political empowerment” can happen only when more women enter the highest policy-making institutions.

Bora pointed out that the current Assam Assembly has six women among 126 members, which according to proportionate population representation should have been 63, and if 33 per cent reservation was granted, the figure should have stood at 42.

She claimed that passing the women’s reservation bill was in the BJP’s election manifesto for general elections in 2014 as well as in 2019.

“Today, the Assam Assembly should pass a resolution, urging the Parliament to adopt the bill. Other state assemblies have also done it,” the Congress MLA said.

Sarma, responding to Bora, said the bill was outside the purview of the assembly, and it was for the Parliament to take a call on the matter.

He asserted that the central government has created a women-led development model throughout the country in which they are in prime roles in all spheres of life.

“I don’t want the assembly to pass this resolution and put pressure on Modi ji (PM Narendra Modi), when there is no need for it. We have full faith on his leadership,” the chief minister said.

“We had not put any such pressure on Manmohan Singh or Deve Gowda or Gujral (former PMs),” he added.

Though the state government refused to support the resolution, Bora did not take it back.

The resolution was defeated in a voice vote.