RIGHT TO VOTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 309, 31 December 1930, Page 7

RIGHT TO VOTE.

INDIAN FRANCHISE.

Conference Discusses Case of

Women.

LOWER AGE LIMIT.

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 1 p.m.)

RUGBY, December 30. „

Many aspects of the franchise question were discussed to-day by the Franchise Sub.-Committee of the India Round Table Conference. During the discussion the view found general favour that the Franchise Commission might consider the introduction of an international qualification of a satisfactory standard provided this could be done without conflicting with the recommendation that the extension of the franchise should be distributed as far as possible equally among the different communities.

It was also agreed that the commission might be asked to consider whether the military service qualification should not be extended to include service in the military and territorial forces, in India.

The question of women's franchise was also discussed and the women delegates asked that the recommendations on this subject be made statutory, also that the commission report should be given effect to, except that they desired that the qualifying age be 21 instead of 25 years.

The sub-committee generally expressed dissatisfaction, pointing out that the number of women voters was small compared with the number of male voters and thought that the Franchise Commission should examine methods whereby the numbers might be made to approxi-mate-closely, and in so doing should take into account, together with any other evidence/,proposals of the Statutory Commission. It also thought that the commission might. examine the disparity which, ifc suggested existed in certain provinces between urban and rural enfranchisement.

In regard to the extension of the franchise, it was considered that the matter was one in which the provincial legislatures might exercise discretion as to what extension should take place after f> period of yeare.

A meeting of the North-West Frontier Province Sub-Committee heard a statement by Sir Denys Bray, of the Indian Council, kased upon his personal and administrative experience of the frontier province^

With a view to focussing discussion the chairman undertook to prepare a report.