PANAJI
The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the Women’s Reservation Bill will be passed through a Special session of the Goa Legislative Assembly only after receiving directions from the Centre.
Speaking to media persons, Sawant said that as of now, the Bill will be tabled and passed during the next scheduled session of the State Assembly.
“No notification has come from the Centre asking us to pass the Women Reservation Bill in urgency…let the delimitation and other procedures be completed and when we will have our own session (Goa assembly session) we will pass the Women Reservation Bill,” he said.
He further said that “in case if a proposal comes from the Centre asking us to pass the Bill in urgency, we will call for a special session and pass the bill. We will do it”.
The draft legislation- Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill), which was passed by an overwhelming majority in both Houses, provides for a 33 per cent reservation for women not just in the Parliament but also in state legislative bodies. In Goa, a total 13 seats out of 40 would be reserved for women.
The Chief Minister said that the Bill has already been passed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and the States are waiting for the directions from the Centre.
Sawant had welcomed the women’s reservation bill and had announced that as per provision 13 seats will be reserved for women in the state's legislative assembly.
Goa has 40 members in the state legislative assembly. Currently, there are three women MLAs.
