Kerala reserves 50 percent seats for women in local bodies

August 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The cabinet Thursday deferred a decision on raising reservation for women in panchayats to 50 percent from 33 percent as the minister concerned could not be present. "A decision on raising reservations for women in the panchayats could not be taken as the concerned minister (C.P.

August 14th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Friday recommended to the state government to reserve 50 percent seats in local governments for women. "We have now decided that it is time to ensure that 50 percent of seats are reserved for women.

July 29th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala government will host a day-long workshop Aug 1 to find ways and means to tackle cyber crimes against women, state Social Welfare Minister P.K. Sreemathi said here Wednesday.

July 20th, 2009 AGARTALA - Voting to elect three-tier local self-governments in the Left Front-ruled northeastern state of Tripura ended peacefully Monday evening with more than 85 percent turnout, officials reported. "Braving soaring temperature and security threats, over 85 percent of the 1,020,200 voters have cast their ballot across the state," said G.C.

July 20th, 2009 AGARTALA - The ruling Left Front in Tripura faced a political test Monday as the state's three-tier local bodies went to the polls. An electorate of over a million will decide the fate of 11,831 candidates, including 4,383 women, in the elections to the Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads.

June 20th, 2009 AGARTALA - Even as the nation debates the women's reservation bill, women in Tripura are getting ready to stand up and be counted in elections to local self-government bodies next month. Political parties across the board are positive about nominating women candidates for the three-tier panchayat polls July 20.

May 21st, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - A translation error in a central government order has offended women in Kerala as it appeared aimed at keeping tabs on women's movement -- though something else was intended. The Local Self Government (LSG) department issued a directive to the Corporations and Municipalities in Kerala last month that a special committee be formed to keep track on 'apatha sancharam' (a close tab on the wrong movement of women).

May 16th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is on course to a stunning victory, having won eight of the 11 Kerala seats for which results had been announced and leading in another eight. The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) had 19 of the 20 seats in the outgoing Lok Sabha.

May 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will make major gains in Left-ruled West Bengal and Kerala as well as in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra to emerge as the leading alliance with around 215 seats - 40 more than the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), states an NDTV exit poll. The NDTV poll survey, on a sample size of 71,500 respondents across India, says the Congress will cross the 160 mark, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get around 130.

April 17th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala saw a heavy voter turnout - 73.33 percent - for the state's 20 Lok Sabha seats Thursday, according to final figures released Friday. According to statistics released by the chief electoral officer, the polling this time is higher than the 71.45 percent recorded in 2004.

April 6th, 2009 BHOPAL - Women may comprise 47 percent of Madhya Pradesh's electorate, but the two main parties together have fielded just six candidates for the 29 Lok Sabha seats - the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) four and the opposition Congress two. The two parties have also been advocating 33 percent reservation for women in all bodies.

April 2nd, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - After the deadline closed Thursday evening for withdrawal of candidature for the Lok Sabha elections from Kerala, a total of 217 candidates remained in the fray for 20 seats in the state, the state election commission's office said here. The Kottayam seat has the maximum number of 20 candidates and Malappuram has the least - only four.

March 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - So much for woman power. The number of women MPs in India's 545-member Lok Sabha has never touched 50, the Election Commission said Friday.

January 14th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The ruling Left and the Congress-led opposition in Kerala could witness differences among their allies when they meet to decide on nominations to fill up three Rajya Sabha seats that fall vacant next month. The terms of Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, senior Congress leader Thennala Balakrishnan and Communist Party of India-Marxist leader K.

January 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Thursday threatened to field candidates for all 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala unless the Congress agreed to ally with it by Feb 15. NCP Kerala leader K.