'Women's representation in Parliament still below 12%'

The representation of women in Parliament has not seen a commensurate increase over the years, though the country celebrated the 60th year of Parliament's first sitting, senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said today.

The representation of women in Parliament has not seen a commensurate increase over the years, though the country celebrated the 60th year of Parliament's first sitting, senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said on Sunday.

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"But 60 years later, unfortunately the maturing of the Indian Parliamentary democracy has not seen a commensurate increase in women's representation. We are still below 12%", Karat who is here to attend a programme on women's issues told PTI.

There were 23 women in the first Parliament, she said.

She accused the UPA government of lacking political will to get the women's reservation bill passed in the Lok Sabha.

"Why they have not passed the women's one third bill? Passed in the Rajya Sabha, but did not have the political will to bring it to the Lok Sabha. So, India's parliamentary democracy cannot be strengthened by keeping the women out", Karat said.