Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on Sunday, 10 March, announced a 33 percent quota for women representatives of his Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, news agency ANI reported.
Patnaik made the announcement while addressing the Women Self Help Group’s Conclave - ‘Mission Shakti’.
The Odisha CM said:
Patnaik also called on national parties to follow up on their promises of empowering women.
Patnaik had passed the proposal for 33 percent reservation for women in November 2018, in the parliament and State Assemblies. Though the proposal was supported by the BJP and the Congress in the State Assembly, they criticized it as nothing more than a political stunt.
The Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assemblies have already passed a resolution, calling on the Centre to uphold the provision Women’s reservation, ANI further reported.
(With inputs from ANI)
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