The Political Edge Bureau
February 19, Chandigarh
Atleast 50 percent posts of mayor in Municipal Corporations and president in the other civic bodies could soon be reserved for the elected women candidates in the recently held civic body.
Ahead of electing the mayor or the president, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government is likely to bring amendments to the legislation in the upcoming budget session to implement the reservation for women.
The decision to increase the reservation for women was taken soon after the Congress came to power and the issue is likely to be discussed in the cabinet meeting today. The Congress government may increase women reservation in urban local bodies from the existing 33 per cent to 50 per cent by amending the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, and the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.
In the recently held civic body polls, women candidates have been elected in nearly 1,100 wards and Congress alone has 675 elected women candidates.
On Friday, the Cabinet is likely to propose Governor to hold the budget session from March 1-10. Congress government, which would face the state Assembly polls early next year, can announce fresh populist measures.
