BENGALURU: Women are sensing their opportunity to de-hyphenate from men in politics with Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) set to reserve 50% of the likely 500 corporator seats.
Women activists have welcomed the move and said the decision was not a favour for women, it is their constitutionally guaranteed right.
They, however, say that political parties must stick to merit while giving tickets instead of running a de facto administration.
KS Vimala from Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane said that it is time women used the opportunity to grow politically. At the same time, prominent leaders of political parties should stop interfering or influencing the party to give tickets only to their preferred women candidates, and candidates should be picked based on ‘merit’ rather than their family or financial background.
“The political parties should, in principle, make it clear that candidates who have skills and who match all the prerequisites and who have merit only are groomed by sending them to the council,” said Vimala and added, the candidates must understand that, due to several years of struggle, this opportunity have come and they should carve a niche for themselves to suit to the present day situation.
She said that each party has a responsibility to prepare its women leaders well in advance to fight, get elected, and serve the public.
Shaheen Shasha, another activist, welcomed the move and stated that it is a good opportunity to become politically active and hone their skills.
While it is a well-established fact that many corporators field their wives in wards reserved for women and run the administration de-facto, activists say that this has to stop and the reservation, which is meant to empower women and make them equal stake holders in the democratic set up, should be implemented both in letter and spirit.
“I have seen at the panchayat level that such a system, where a husband or a male family member, other than the elected representative, controls the area and runs the administration. This is a danger for democracy, and elected women should also cultivate administrative skills instead of limiting themselves to be rubber stamps,” said Shridevi Shetty, Co-Founder of Anvaya Foundation, a women’s rights organisation.\