Nitish supports 50% reservation for women

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday supported reservation of 50 per cent seats in Parliament and State Legislatures for women saying if the Centre brings a legislation to this effect he would side with it.

Kumar said this in reply to a plea made by women legislators at a JD(U) function on the occasion of International Women's day here. Congratulating women on International Women's day, Kumar highlighted initiatives taken by his government for their empowerment. He referred to earmarking 50 per cent seats in panchayats in 2005 and urban local bodies in 2007 by his government in proportion to their population which is half of the country.

“Bihar is the first state to give 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchyati Raj institutions which many states followed and now the Centre is also thinking over it,” he said.

The state government implemented 50 per cent reservation for women in appointment of contractual teachers at primary level. “One component of ‘seven resolves' of good governance in Bihar is reservation of 35 per cent of seats for women in all state government jobs,” he said.

“Within two months of formation of Grand Alliance government in November 2015, the state reserved 35 per cent seats for women in all state government vacancies,” he said.