First of all, the Committee pays its gratitude to BJP's National President hon'ble Rajnath Singh for constituting a committee to enhance women representation in BJP's organisational set-up. In his presidential address to the National Executive meeting held in Delhi on June 25-26, 2007, he observed, "I hold the view that womenfolk should get 33 per cent positions in BJP organisation. I will like the National Executive to consider this suggestion so that it can pave the way for 33 per cent reservation for women by making necessary amendments in party constitution". He constituted this committee under the presidentship of Smt. Sushma Swaraj to realise proposed objective. The other nominated members of the Committee include Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Dr. Najma Heptullah, Smt Kiran Maheshwari, Shri Bal Apte, Shri Kiran Rijuju and Shri Kishan Reddy.
The Committee had held three meetings in all. In the first meeting Ms. Megha Nanivdekar from BHARATIYA STHREE SHAKTI was invited to make special presentation on the theme. She made a detailed presentation before the Committee. The Committee gratefully acknowledges Ms. Naninvdekar's contribution to the cause.
In the first meeting, the Committee extensively deliberated upon the BJP's concerns for women, present provisions of women representation in the BJP constitution, National President's desire to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in BJP organisation and the procedure to be adopted to provide reservation etc.
The Committee expressed its regrets that despite BJP's hugely positive thinking towards women, we are the victims of this malicious propaganda that the BJP is anti-women party. More so, when this propaganda is made by the political parties whose own track record on this issue is extremely poor. For example, the left parties mostly indulge in this malicious propaganda against the BJP. But History is witness that the party like C.P(M) had till last year no woman member in its Polit-Bureau. It is for the first time that a woman has been made member of the Polit-Bureau. The left parties generally form governments in three states but no woman could be made the Chief Minister in these states so far. The women representation on behalf of left parties vis-a-vis their male counterparts in the parliament also continues to be meagre.
On the contrary, the BJP Parliamentary Board always has a woman representative on its strength. Earlier, Smt. Vijaya Raje Scindia was and later Smt. Sushma Swaraj has been the member of the BJP Parliamentary Board. Four women- Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Smt Sumitra Mahajan, Smt. Maya Singh and Smt. Anita Arya have been National General Secretaries of the BJP at different times. Two women are compulsorily appointed office-bearers at national level. The BJP has appointed women as the Chief Minister in three states. Maximum number of women were included in the Council of Ministers in Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA government at the centre. In all, eleven women members were included in the Council of Ministers out of which 9 belonged to the BJP. It is the maximum number of party women included in all the Central Council of Ministers so far. In all 10 women members have been included in the Council of Ministers of present UPA government out of which only 6 members belong to the Congress Party. Other four belong to allied parties (both lists encloses). The BJP is also first of all parties which is credited to make woman its spokesperson.
The BJP's track record with reference to Women Reservation Bill is also far better than other parties. During the tenure of BJP-led NDA government; the Women Reservation Bill was moved twice in 12th and 13th Lok Sabha and was also presented for consideration. The efforts were also made at the prime minister level to reach consensus on the issue.
But even after completing three years in office, the UPA government has not been able to finalise the draft of Women Reservation BIll and no Bill could be presented in the Lok Sabha on this issue for the last three years. The BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh had observed about women reservation in party's National Council meeting held in Lucknow on December 23-24, 2006 "the Bharatiya Janata Party unequivocally holds the view that 33 per cent reservation should be ensured for women in Parliament and state assemblies and when need arises, the party would be first to extend its cooperation and support" for this cause.
In furtherance of the same thinking, the party president expressed his desire in National Executive meeting held in Delhi on June 25-26, 2007 to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in organisational set-up.
The Committee undertook section-wise study of the BJP constitution and found that the provision for women reservation do exist in party's present constitution. The women representation has been made compulsory in each unit from local level to national level without which the unit will not be lawful as is the case of section 13 where four categories of local committees as well as compulsion of one or two women members in different categories find mention. Similarly, the nomination of 12 women out of 80 National Executive Members is compulsory under section 20. But this quantum of reservation at different levels comes to 12% to 15% in all. The National President has desired to escalate it upto 33%. The Committee feels that this escalation in reservation is not only desirable but also essential. So, the Committee highly appreciates these timely observations of the National President and suggests following ways and means to fulfil this task:-
1. As the provisions for women reservation already exist in the BJP constitution, the task is somewhat easier. Only the number has to be increased at different levels according to enhanced percentage. Namely, three women members in place of one woman member be inserted in category (1) contained in sub-section 4 under section 13. In category 2, four women members be inserted in place of at least one woman member. In category 3, six women members be inserted in place of two women members and in category 4, seven women members be inserted in place of two women members. Similarly under section (20), the National Executive that consists of 81 members in all, 27 women members, including 2 from Scheduled Castes and 2 from Scheduled Tribes invariably, be inserted in place of existing 12 women members.
2. Similarly, the number of members in other units too should be changed equal to 33 per cent of total number of the members
3. As almost all organisational elections have been completed by now, it may generate acrimony among elected or nominated male representatives if they are removed to accommodate increased women representatives as per reservation norms. So the Committee suggests that requisite number of women representatives as per the norms of 33% reservation be added to concerned organisational units and no male representative be removed from office. For example, there are at present 14 women members in the National Executive Committee. As per 33% reservation norms for women, their number comes to 27. So 13 more women members be added to the tally without dropping any male members.
4. Where organisational elections have not been completed so far; elections there must be held as per new patterns and requisite number of women members be elected or nominated.
5. The provision of 33% reservation for women should also be made with reference to the number of office-bearers.
6. The President of the Mahila Morcha of the concerned unit must be made an ex-officio member of the Election Committee.
7. The provision of women reservation cannot be made in cases of State Presidents/Districts Presidents and Mandal Presidents because then the States/Districts/Mandals themselves would have to be reserved to effect the reservation which is impracticable. But male workers working in states and districts will have to keep in mind that women workers are assigned these responsibilities in certain place.
8. These suggestions should be given effect within three months.
Above suggestions have been put to the test of full feasibility. After the 73rd and 74th amendments in the constitution, a large quantity of women leadership has emerged in villages and towns. So availability of women in requisite number is no problem. Only mentality needs to be changed. So long as the legal obligation was not in place, negligible number of women used to get elected to village panchayats and municipal committees. But lacs of women are getting elected now after legal obligations have taken effect and they are working with dynamism. This has totally changed the scenario of local bodies. Encouraged by this development, the BJP led Madhya Pradesh government and Shri Nitish Kumar led NDA government in Bihar have raised the quota of women reservation from 33% to 50% in local bodies. This is a revolutionary move towards women empowerment.
The organisational set-up also needs change in mind-set. The National President has taken initiative in this direction. This objective can easily be achieved if we all unitedly adopt this type of approach and make the Bharatiya Janata Party grow in strength with increased women participation.
The committee again conveys its gratitude towards the BJP National President for his initiative.
The Committee had held three meetings in all. In the first meeting Ms. Megha Nanivdekar from BHARATIYA STHREE SHAKTI was invited to make special presentation on the theme. She made a detailed presentation before the Committee. The Committee gratefully acknowledges Ms. Naninvdekar's contribution to the cause.
In the first meeting, the Committee extensively deliberated upon the BJP's concerns for women, present provisions of women representation in the BJP constitution, National President's desire to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in BJP organisation and the procedure to be adopted to provide reservation etc.
The Committee expressed its regrets that despite BJP's hugely positive thinking towards women, we are the victims of this malicious propaganda that the BJP is anti-women party. More so, when this propaganda is made by the political parties whose own track record on this issue is extremely poor. For example, the left parties mostly indulge in this malicious propaganda against the BJP. But History is witness that the party like C.P(M) had till last year no woman member in its Polit-Bureau. It is for the first time that a woman has been made member of the Polit-Bureau. The left parties generally form governments in three states but no woman could be made the Chief Minister in these states so far. The women representation on behalf of left parties vis-a-vis their male counterparts in the parliament also continues to be meagre.
On the contrary, the BJP Parliamentary Board always has a woman representative on its strength. Earlier, Smt. Vijaya Raje Scindia was and later Smt. Sushma Swaraj has been the member of the BJP Parliamentary Board. Four women- Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Smt Sumitra Mahajan, Smt. Maya Singh and Smt. Anita Arya have been National General Secretaries of the BJP at different times. Two women are compulsorily appointed office-bearers at national level. The BJP has appointed women as the Chief Minister in three states. Maximum number of women were included in the Council of Ministers in Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA government at the centre. In all, eleven women members were included in the Council of Ministers out of which 9 belonged to the BJP. It is the maximum number of party women included in all the Central Council of Ministers so far. In all 10 women members have been included in the Council of Ministers of present UPA government out of which only 6 members belong to the Congress Party. Other four belong to allied parties (both lists encloses). The BJP is also first of all parties which is credited to make woman its spokesperson.
The BJP's track record with reference to Women Reservation Bill is also far better than other parties. During the tenure of BJP-led NDA government; the Women Reservation Bill was moved twice in 12th and 13th Lok Sabha and was also presented for consideration. The efforts were also made at the prime minister level to reach consensus on the issue.
But even after completing three years in office, the UPA government has not been able to finalise the draft of Women Reservation BIll and no Bill could be presented in the Lok Sabha on this issue for the last three years. The BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh had observed about women reservation in party's National Council meeting held in Lucknow on December 23-24, 2006 "the Bharatiya Janata Party unequivocally holds the view that 33 per cent reservation should be ensured for women in Parliament and state assemblies and when need arises, the party would be first to extend its cooperation and support" for this cause.
In furtherance of the same thinking, the party president expressed his desire in National Executive meeting held in Delhi on June 25-26, 2007 to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in organisational set-up.
The Committee undertook section-wise study of the BJP constitution and found that the provision for women reservation do exist in party's present constitution. The women representation has been made compulsory in each unit from local level to national level without which the unit will not be lawful as is the case of section 13 where four categories of local committees as well as compulsion of one or two women members in different categories find mention. Similarly, the nomination of 12 women out of 80 National Executive Members is compulsory under section 20. But this quantum of reservation at different levels comes to 12% to 15% in all. The National President has desired to escalate it upto 33%. The Committee feels that this escalation in reservation is not only desirable but also essential. So, the Committee highly appreciates these timely observations of the National President and suggests following ways and means to fulfil this task:-
1. As the provisions for women reservation already exist in the BJP constitution, the task is somewhat easier. Only the number has to be increased at different levels according to enhanced percentage. Namely, three women members in place of one woman member be inserted in category (1) contained in sub-section 4 under section 13. In category 2, four women members be inserted in place of at least one woman member. In category 3, six women members be inserted in place of two women members and in category 4, seven women members be inserted in place of two women members. Similarly under section (20), the National Executive that consists of 81 members in all, 27 women members, including 2 from Scheduled Castes and 2 from Scheduled Tribes invariably, be inserted in place of existing 12 women members.
2. Similarly, the number of members in other units too should be changed equal to 33 per cent of total number of the members
3. As almost all organisational elections have been completed by now, it may generate acrimony among elected or nominated male representatives if they are removed to accommodate increased women representatives as per reservation norms. So the Committee suggests that requisite number of women representatives as per the norms of 33% reservation be added to concerned organisational units and no male representative be removed from office. For example, there are at present 14 women members in the National Executive Committee. As per 33% reservation norms for women, their number comes to 27. So 13 more women members be added to the tally without dropping any male members.
4. Where organisational elections have not been completed so far; elections there must be held as per new patterns and requisite number of women members be elected or nominated.
5. The provision of 33% reservation for women should also be made with reference to the number of office-bearers.
6. The President of the Mahila Morcha of the concerned unit must be made an ex-officio member of the Election Committee.
7. The provision of women reservation cannot be made in cases of State Presidents/Districts Presidents and Mandal Presidents because then the States/Districts/Mandals themselves would have to be reserved to effect the reservation which is impracticable. But male workers working in states and districts will have to keep in mind that women workers are assigned these responsibilities in certain place.
8. These suggestions should be given effect within three months.
Above suggestions have been put to the test of full feasibility. After the 73rd and 74th amendments in the constitution, a large quantity of women leadership has emerged in villages and towns. So availability of women in requisite number is no problem. Only mentality needs to be changed. So long as the legal obligation was not in place, negligible number of women used to get elected to village panchayats and municipal committees. But lacs of women are getting elected now after legal obligations have taken effect and they are working with dynamism. This has totally changed the scenario of local bodies. Encouraged by this development, the BJP led Madhya Pradesh government and Shri Nitish Kumar led NDA government in Bihar have raised the quota of women reservation from 33% to 50% in local bodies. This is a revolutionary move towards women empowerment.
The organisational set-up also needs change in mind-set. The National President has taken initiative in this direction. This objective can easily be achieved if we all unitedly adopt this type of approach and make the Bharatiya Janata Party grow in strength with increased women participation.
The committee again conveys its gratitude towards the BJP National President for his initiative.
| So. No. | Name Signatture |
| 1 | Sushma Swaraj |
| 2 | Sumitra Mahajan |
| 3 | Najma Heptullah |
| 4 | Kiran Maheshwar |
| 5 | Bal Apte |
| 6 | Kiran Rijuju |
| 7 | Kishan Reddy |
List of women ministers in the NDA government led by Shri Atal ji
| 1 | Smt. Sushma Swaraj | BJP |
| 2 | Ms Uma Bharati | BJP |
| 3 | Smt. Sumitra Mahajan | BJP |
| 4 | Smt. Jaswant Ben Mehta | BJP |
| 5 | Smt. Rita Verma | BJP |
| 6 | Smt. Vasundhara Raje | BJP |
| 7 | Smt. Jaskaur Meena | BJP |
| 8 | Smt. Bhawana Ben Chikhaliya | BJP |
| 9 | Smt. Vijaya Chakraborty | BJP |
| 10 | Ms. Mamata Banarjee | All India Trinamul Congress |
| 11 | Smt. Menaka Gandhi | Independent |
List of Women ministers in the UPA government
| 1 | Smt. Meera Kumar | Congress |
| 2 | Smt. Ambika Sonia | Congress |
| 3 | Km. Shilja | Congress |
| 4 | Smt. Renuka Choudhary | Congress |
| 5 | Smt. D. Purandeshwari | Congress |
| 6 | Smt. Panbaka Laxmi | Congress |
| 7 | Smt. Suryakanta Pati | NCP |
| 8 | Smt. Kanti Singh | RJD |
| 9 | Smt. Subhulaxmi Jagadishan | DMK |
| 10 | Smt. V. Radhika Selvi | DMK |
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