A bill to increase the number of seats and offices reserved for women in local self-government bodies from the current one-third to 50 per cent has been introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The bill was tabled on Thursday.
It seeks to amend Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958 and Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1961 to provide 50 per cent reservations to women in village Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, Zilla Parishads and also in offices of sarpanch, president of ZP and chairman of Panchayat Samiti.
It will also make appropriate amendments to Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949, City of Nagpur Corporation Act, 1948 and the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, to provide 50 per cent reservation for women in Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils.
The bill was introduced yesterday amid slogan-shouting by opposition against suspension of nine of its MLAs.