Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Mar 26: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra on Saturday criticised the paucity of female representation in Parliament while also pointing to an increase in the number of women voting in recent years.
He also voiced concern about the time lost in Parliament as a result of disruptions, adding that this does not bode well for democracy.
Chandra said the first Lok Sabha had 15 women MPs and the 17th Lok Sabha has 78.
“However, development remains gradual. True, the legislature must be extremely inclusive,” he stated.
The Constitution guarantees a one-third reservation for women in local governments, according to the CEC, and many grassroots-level women leaders have proved their leadership qualities and brought about visible changes in their communities.
He emphasised the need of maintaining a connection between parliamentarians and the public, recalling voters informing him that after the COVID-19 outbreak prompted a prohibition on physical campaigning, several leaders returned to their homes after a long absence.
He also gave data from the recent Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur on women’s electoral participation.
He noted that female voter turnout topped male voter turnout in four of the five states — Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh — and that it was nearly equal in Punjab.
In each of the five states, the gender ratio has risen. Chandra claims that it has increased by 29 points in Uttar Pradesh alone.
On the matter of parliamentary disruptions, Chandra stated that while heated debates, speeches, and debates are indicators of a strong Parliament, frequent disruptions, walkouts, and hunger strikes are not.
