Coalitions have become inevitable in India- Chatterjee

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee called for greater representation of women in the legislatures.

Bemoaning the low representation of women in the Legislatures, the Speaker hoped that the participation of women should increase at all levels, including in the legislative bodies.

He said women should be more involved in decision- making process at various levels in the country.

Mr Chatterjee was speaking while welcoming the seven member delegation of the UK "Labour Friends of India" in Parliament here yesterday.

He said democracy has taken firm roots in India at all levels, particularly at the grassroots level and referred to high rate of participation of Indian electorate in the electoral process. In this regard, he also said that India is perhaps the only country in the world having the distinction of successfully introducing Electronic Voting Machines in every polling booth across the country, which have worked satisfactorily.

Responding to the visiting delegation's observation regarding coalition governments in India, Mr Chatterjee said that coalitions hads become inevitable in India and that the democratic polity in India has performed well accommodating the multiplicity and diversity of social and political shades of our people.

Stephen P Pound- the leader of the visiting delegation said that the maturity of Indian democracy has elevated India's democratic polity to that of brotherly relationship between the two democracies.

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