Samata opposes EC's suggestion on quotas for women

Samata opposes EC's suggestion on quotas for women
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, APRIL 29: Samata Party on Saturday opposed Election Commission's suggestion for earmarking A certain percentage of seats for women saying "it is not for the EC to adjudicate upon".

Expressing its views at an all-party meeting on proposals by the EC on electoral reforms, Samata Party said it believed that quotas for women or any section of society were purely within the domain of Parliament.

"It will not be wise for the EC to have the power to de-recognise any party for not adhering to a specified quota of seats for women," party President Jaya Jaitley told reporters after the meeting.

On the anti-defection law, the party was of the "firm view" that the EC cannot and should not extend itself to areas well beyond its specified task of supervising and conducting elections.

"Since disqualification because of splits or any other reason is well outside the electoral process, it is not for the EC to opine on such matters," the party said adding the anti-defection law itself was faulty and should be scrapped.

The party also suggested doing away with the "ordinary resident" factor for qualification for election to the Rajya Sabha and leaving it to legislators of State to decide whether a certain person was capable of representing the interest of the State in the Upper House.