Kullu, April 7
As Himachal Pradesh prepares for the Panchayati Raj elections, residents of Kharahal Valley in Kullu district are urging an end to the 25-year reservation for women. A group of villagers met the Deputy Commissioner of Kullu to raise objections over the continued reservation of the ward and urged the administration to open it to all categories for the upcoming elections.
Local residents explained that Larakelo ward has been reserved for women since 2000, initially for Scheduled Caste women and then for women in general. Hemraj Sharma, a member of the delegation, said the rotation system has kept the ward reserved for more than two decades. He added that this situation is unfair to candidates from other categories who also wish to participate in local elections.
The villagers believe that the prolonged reservation limits democratic participation and goes against the principle of equal opportunity. They have demanded that the ward be opened to all categories, including the general category, the Scheduled Castes, and women, so that everyone has a chance to contest.
The Deputy Commissioner assured the delegation that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities. The community now waits for a decision as election preparations gain momentum.
