Women-kerala-reservation-pollsKottayam (Kerala), Nov. 16 -- In an unusual and symbolic protest against the reservation system in elections, a male candidate has filed his nomination in a reserved ward exclusively for women in Pala Municipality, calling the quota policy "undemocratic."E B J Jose, Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi National Foundation, submitted his nomination papers for Ward 9 (Kochippadi), which is reserved exclusively for women candidates.
Criticising the 50 percent reservation for women in local bodies, Jose said, "The quota system weakens democratic principles by restricting voter choice."He noted that Kochippadi had been reserved for women in the previous term as well and has again been allotted to the women's category.
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