Govt proposes increase in LS, assembly seats for Indian women

Home Minister Shivraj Patil Friday held consultations with various parties on the issue when he suggested that the increase in the strength of Lok Sabha and Assemblies could be a method by which the nearly-decade long stalemate could be broken.

Defence Minister and Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present in the discussions held with leaders of BJP, CPI(M) and CPI.

The parties were also told that there has been a phenomenal increase in the population resulting in several constituencies becoming unwieldy with voters strength going up to 20 to 25 lakh in some and there was need to rightsize them. Also there was need to raise the number of seats in accordance with population growth.

Sources said the parties told the government side that they needed time to think over the new proposal on women but made it clear that they were keen on reservation of seats for them even in its present form.

The BJP team was led by its President and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha LK Advani.

The CPI team included Gurudas Dasgupta and S Sudhakar Reddy (both MPs) and D Raja, National Council Member.

The CPI delegation told the ministers that while issues like rightsizing constituencies and raising the number of constituencies would require defreezing the present bar on raising the strength of the Houses, the party was keen that as of now the one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and Assemblies should be carried through.