UPSC Prelims 2000 · General Studies
Question 51: International Relations and Current Affairs
The following news item appeared in a National daily dated 1-12-1999: “...Parliament today rejected a Bill to grant women the right to vote and stand for office in parliamentary elections, by a margin of 32 to 30. The National Assembly was split between liberal, pro-government and Shiite Muslim deputies who were in favour of women’s rights, while the opposition camp grouped Sunni Muslim fundamentalists and tribal MPs. A total of 64 MPs and Ministers were present, of whom two abstained.” The Parliament referred to in this quotation is that of
AnswerThe answer is (a).
In late 1999 the National Assembly of Kuwait voted down, by a narrow margin, a Bill giving women the right to vote and stand for office. Liberals, pro-government members and Shiite deputies backed the Bill; Sunni fundamentalists and tribal members opposed it. Kuwaiti women got these rights only in 2005. Iran had given women the vote in 1963, and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia had no elected parliament in 1999.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Right: the Kuwait National Assembly rejected women's suffrage in 1999.
- (b) Iran gave women the vote in 1963, so the vote could not have been rejected in 1999.
- (c) Bahrain had no elected parliament in 1999.
- (d) Saudi Arabia has no elected parliament.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2000, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.