Meghalaya CM welcomes women's quota Bill, expects more seats for state

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has welcomed the Women's Reservation Bill as a vital step towards better democratic representation, predicting gains for the state in Parliament after delimitation.

The Centre introduced three bills in Lok Sabha on April 16 to amend the women's quota law and establish a delimitation commission. Sangma described the Bill as a "very welcome step" that meets a long-standing demand.

"This is something which should have been done a long time back, but we must give credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this bold decision," said Sangma, leader of the matrilineal state where women hold significant social roles.

He highlighted low female participation in Parliament and state assemblies, arguing the Bill would bridge this gap. "This will be a very important democratic reform and will allow greater representation of women at the top level, enabling them to take decisions that will benefit society at large," he added.

Sangma anticipates more seats for Meghalaya, based on its population and terrain challenges. "I expect that seats will increase in Meghalaya, and I feel that the Government of India and the delimitation commission will positively look into this aspect," he stated.

The CM urged caution in linking delimitation with the Bill's rollout. "Both need to go hand in hand. Discussions will take place, and we hope the process will be managed in a way that any disruption is minimised," he noted. He ruled out seat cuts for any state, expecting Parliament's total strength to rise.