The chorus for more women representation in the Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the bill proposing the increase of age of marriage of girls grew on Monday with the sole woman member in the panel Sushmita Dev suggesting that all women MPs be allowed to testify before the committee.
Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu urging him to ensure that more women participate in the discussion around the Bill.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha during the Winter Session that concluded last month and referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. Parties nominate members based on their strength in the House.
At present, BJP has 16 MPs in the 31-member panel while Congress has three and Trinamool Congress, DMK and CPI(M) two each. Samajwadi Party, AIADMK, YSR Congress, Shiv Sena, BJD and JD(U) have one MP each in the panel. The lone woman MP Sushmita from Trinamool Congress became part of the committee on September 27 last year.
The panel will be meeting on Wednesday to “decide on the future course of action” as well as for a presentation on reforms in education of performing and fine arts. Sources said the MPs are likely to raise the issue of under-representation of women lawmakers in the panel as well as the procedure to be adopted for discussing the marriage age bill.
In her letter to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita cited Rule 84(3) and 275 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States to urge him to allow all women Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs to participate in the discussions.
"...I wish to propose that any woman member of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha be empowered to testify either in writing or in person before the Committee on the issue," Sushmita said.
DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi tweeted, "there are a total of 110 female MPs but the government chooses to assign a bill that affects every young woman in the country to a panel that has 30 men and only one woman. Men will continue to decide the rights of women. And women will be made mute spectators."
In her letter, Priyanka said it was "disheartening" to note that a bill so "pertinent to women and the Indian society" will be deliberated upon in a committee where the representation is "highly skewed".
She requested Naidu to ensure more representation and participation of women in the discussion on the Bill.
"It is of utmost importance that the interests of all stakeholders are taken into account and that voices of all, especially women are heard and understood by the committee," Priyanka said.
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