Kolkata, April 16 -- The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has fielded 55 women candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29. The number is 22 more than its arch-rival in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On Thursday, the central government plans to introduce two bills in Parliament to increase Lok Sabha and state assembly seats through a nationwide delimitation and implementation of 33% reservation for women to be conducted in the next few years.

The Centre has proposed increasing the number of seats in the lower House from 543 to up to 850 by revising Article 81 of the Constitution. This is part of the effort to ensure 33% reservation for women in Parliament ...