Bangalore Elections, A Case for Women's Reservation?

Society, Top story - By JF on Friday, March 26, 2010 - 20:31

The Bruhut Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike election is around the corner. Of the 198 wards, 67 are reserved for women. But once elected, will these women be mere puppets in the hands of the men around them? Navya D'Souza talks to a few candidates.

 “I am contesting in the BBMP elections to fulfill the dreams, ideas and vision of my husband,” says Nandini Shiva Kumar, a 33-year-old former school teacher, standing for the Bruhut Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections, which are to be held on the 28th of March, as an independent candidate. Her statement confirms what many fear is the biggest uncertainty of the 33%Women’s Reservation Bill being debated on the national stage. Will women be able to free themselves from the political affiliations, ideas and aspirations of the men around them and rewrite the democratic process and its functions in India? If the BBMP elections are anything to go by, the answer is not a very positive one.

Bangalore has been carved into 198 wards by the BBMP, out of which 67 wards are reserved for women contestants under the General, Backward Caste (A) and (B), Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe categories. There is no leeway out of this rule so come March 28th , 67 women will be voted into the Council as corporators. But a closer look at the list of the candidates reveals that in the remaining 131 seats that can be contested by both men and women, the number of women who have wrested nominations from their male counterparts are next to nil. This reiterates the point that the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill is vital to ensure that women, their voices and their perspectives are heard while shaping tomorrow’s India.

Still, women who are nominated to fight out the elections seem to be struggling to think on their two feet. While Ms Shiva Kumar is happy fulfilling her husband’s dreams, Kokila Radakrishna is more than willing to accept that her husband will be an important part in the decision making should she be elected. Ms Radakrishna, who has been nominated by the Congress as a candidate for the Kormangala ward from the Backward Caste (A) category, says, “It is only because of husband’s support that I am standing for the elections. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have contested the elections. So, of course, I will involve my husband in any decision that I make as a corporator.” Interestingly, Ms Radakrishna, who won the Zilla Panchayat elections from Kolar in 2005, insists on advice from her husband who lost the same elections the last time around.

The contestants also seem to lack initiative in addressing issues that affect women in Bangalore. The priorities seem to be the same -- water, electricity and sewage systems. Even while operating within the scope of these issues, none of them seem to be asking how the lack of these facilities affects women at large. And how while looking for solutions, women must be addressed too. For example, while everyone is harping about the lack of sanitary facilities, not one woman candidate seemed to notice that the lack of these facilities affects women in a unique way. Nor is there any promise about providing clean sanitary facilities for women from the lower income groups. So when the basics are being ignored no one seems to be surprised that larger issues concerning women have been overlooked. Issues like safety for women travelling by public transport, providing healthcare for women, promoting the need for education among women and the likes have not made it to anyone’s agenda.

But there is still that glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. Meenakshi Bharath, a doctor by profession, is standing for the elections from the Aramane Nagar ward that is not reserved for women, “I am not giving up anything. I plan to continue to work as a doctor and work on the Council should I be elected.” A Lok Satta Party candidate, she does not credit a man for her decision to contest. “I found that there was a lack of political will to do things for the citizen. The only way to bring back that will is to stand for the elections. It is a chance to bring about a big difference at the local level,” she says. Unlike many contestants, should she be elected, Dr Bharath plans to declare her assets at the end of each year, even though there is no law that compels her to, and has also promised to up the interaction between her and the people.

Dr. Florence, who is contesting for the same seat as Ms Radakrishna, declares, “I think people should vote for me because I am a woman. If elected, I am going to regularly interact with the women from my ward and determine the issues that affect all of us and try to solve them. I think this job needs the understanding that a woman is blessed with.” K. Malathi, again a contestant from the same ward, promises: “As a corporator, I will continue to continue to do the work that I have done for 15 years and that is work for women from the lower income groups.”

Candidates apart, it is the average voter who has been ordained by Democracy to help realise the potential of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Will the ones for real women power please stand up?