As of now, women are enjoying 33 percent reservation in local bodies, both urban and civic, in the state. The Bills – The Tripura Municipal (Fourth amendment) Bill 2010 and The Tripura Panchayats (Fifth amendment) Bill 2010 were tabled in the House on March 2.

On Tuesday both the Bills came up for discussion in the House. Participating in the discussion, Opposition leader Gopal Roy highlighted the Congress’s commitment towards women empowerment. Supporting both the Bills, he said that it was the Congress-led UPA government, who had brought the Women’s Bill seeking 50 percent reservation in Lok Sabha and Assemblies.

Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman also backed the Bills to ensure women empowerment in true sense. He also pointed out the double standards of CPM in the Rajya Sabha on Women’s Bills. Panchayat and UD Minister Manik Dey said that the twin Bills were placed to provide socio-political-economic empowerment of women.

In both Bills, it was said that the state government was of the view that the existing provisions providing for reservation of women in the Tripura Municipal Act 1994 and Tripura Panchayat Act 1993 be amended to enhance reservation for women to the extent of 50 percent in all urban bodies like Nagar Panchyats, Agartala Municipal Council, Municipal Corporations including that of office bearers like chairpersons to ensure better participation of women in the decision-making process.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, in his speech said that the introduction of two Bills was a historic move. He mentioned that it was the Left Front who had introduced election in three-tier panchayat through secret ballots. Referring to the opposition allegation on the CPM role on women empowerment, Sarkar said that they were trying to mislead the people. “The move to pass the Women’s Bills is aimed to show respect for the women who have been doing good in the three-tier panchayat system”, he said.