Mokokchung, 25 September (MTNews): The Nagaland Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee (NPMCC) has welcomed the long-anticipated Women’s Reservation Bill, and urged women to seize the opportunities it presents by filling the reserved seats and actively participating in the political process.
The Women’s Reservation Bill has a storied history, dating back to its introduction during the UPA government in 2010. “During the UPA in 2010, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha as the 108th Constitution amendment. However, it could not be passed in the Lok Sabha due to opposition from the BJP and some other parties,” said NPMCC president N Lucy.
Expressing their gratitude, the NPMCC acknowledged the unwavering commitment and efforts of Sonia Gandhi.
Under the new provisions, 20 seats in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly will be reserved for women in the upcoming elections. The remaining 40 seats will remain open, she said, adding that “Congress women will fill at least 20 seats, if not more, in the state Assembly and also secure 33% in ULB elections.”
Furthermore, the NPMCC emphasized that the basic objective of the Congress is socialist secularism. “We believe in justice, liberty, equality of status, opportunity, and fraternity, as expressed in the Preamble to the Constitution of India,” stated President N Lucy.
Stating that the door is “now open for women” to actively participate in the decision-making and law-making processes, the NPMCC appealed to women of all ages to join Congress. “NPMCC will organize training sessions to enable members to become legislators,” she added.