La réservation de sièges dans les corps élus en Inde

• Main Author: David Annoussamy
• Format: Article
• Language: fra
• Published: L’Harmattan 2007-06-01
• Series: Droit et Cultures
• Subjects: Constitutional amendments; elected bodies; India; reservation of seats
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/droitcultures/405

The Constitution of India which came into force in 1950 provides for the reservation of seats in the lower house of the Union and the legislative assemblies of States in favour of Scheduled castes (ex -intouchables) and Scheduled tribes proportionately to their number in the total population. That measure had the effect of arousing and developing the political consciousness of those categories of population, who now possess their own political parties. Such reservation which was conceived as a temporary measure for a period of 10 years has been renewed every 10 years, no political party willing to take the initiative of putting an end thereto apprehending the loss of the votes of those categories of population. Reservation for those categories has been extended to local body councils and  to offices of mayors by the constitutional amendment of 1992. Its implementation has  provoked loud protests and even oppostion in the localities, caste people not willing an ex-outcaste as their mayor. The same amendment has provided for the reservation of 1/3 of seats in the councils of local bodies and in the offices of mayors. For the time being the ladies elected are benamis for their husband, or brother or father. That does not have much importance in the councils. But ladies elevated all of a sudden to the posts of mayors without any idea of administration are facing difficulties. A draft bill providing reservation for women to the same extent in the lower house of the Union and in the  State assemblies  prepared in1996 on the recommendation of the United Nations has not so far garnered the support of political parties which remain dominated by men.