印度考虑为妇女保留议会席位

Critics of the bill say that it would only help women from elite and rich families to enter politics. They fear it would marginalize lower-caste and tribal Indians, as well as Muslims.

批评者认为，这个法案只会帮助那些来自精英和富裕家庭的妇女进入政坛。他们担心，女性席次保留法案会把较低种性的印度人，部落印度人以及穆斯林边缘化。

Lawmaker Neeraj Shekhar says he is not opposed to reserving seats for women, but wants the reserved seats to be more inclusive of India's diverse groups.

议员尼拉吉谢卡尔说，他不反对为妇女保留席位，但是他希望，被保留的席位能容纳更多不同的族群。

"We are for reservation, but there should be a reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled-tribes' women and minorities also," Shekhar noted.

谢卡尔说：“我们支持保留席位，但是应该为设籍种性以及设籍部落的妇女，和少数族群保留席位。”

Backers of the women's bill say implementing it will change Indian politics for the good, refocusing the legislative agenda on providing basic services like education and drinking water.

支持这个法案的人认为，这个法案会使印度政治变得更好，使立法议程的重心回归到为人民提供基本服务，例如教育和饮水。

A village council member in Himachal Pradesh state, Shashi Kiran, says the traditional household role of women makes them uniquely qualified to set political priorities.

喜马偕尔邦一个村委会成员沙希基兰说，印度妇女的传统家庭角色让她们在制定优先的政治议题上具有独特能力。

Kiran says women have more perseverance and are more hardworking than men. She adds that women are more trustworthy and they understand the needs of their house and what it is that society lacks.

基兰说，印度妇女比男人更坚毅，更勤劳，更值得信赖，妇女了解家庭需要，了解社会所欠缺的事务。

The bill was passed by India's Rajya Sabha, or upper house, two years ago. Supporters are hopeful it may come to a vote as early as this month in the lower house, the Lok Sabha. It would not guarantee women's representation forever, just for three election cycles, 15 years.

两年前，印度议会上议院通过女性席次保留法案。支持者对这个法案可能最早于本月份在下议院表决抱有希望。但是，这个法案并不保证妇女永远有保留席次，法案只给予三次选举周期，也就是15年的妇女席位保留。